Engine Fluid Heater Circuit Control for Cold Weather Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional engine fluid heating systems often fail to effectively heat fluids like blowby gas, leading to potential freezing and clogging issues during cold weather.
Innovation Solution
A fluid heating apparatus with a heater feeding circuit and control device, utilizing a PTC or IH electric heater, a main switch, sub switch, and bypass circuit with an indicator lamp or current sensor, which displays circuit normality or abnormality to prevent heating failures by controlling the sub switch's opening and closing periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional heating system is used, then the structure is simple, but heating failure occurs in cold weather
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary diagnostic actions by opening the sub switch during an initial period after main switch closing to check circuit normality before full heater operation. This preliminary check prevents heating failures by identifying circuit abnormalities early, while adding only minimal circuit elements (sub switch, indicator lamp, control device) to achieve reliable operation.
2Reliability
If the sub switch is closed immediately, then heater power feeding starts quickly, but circuit abnormalities cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic switching action where the sub switch is opened during an initial period to detect circuit abnormalities, then closed to provide full heater power. This periodic on-off sequence during startup enables both circuit diagnosis and rapid heater activation, resolving the contradiction between detection reliability and startup speed.
3Loss of information
If the indicator lamp is always on, then circuit normality is always displayed, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator lamp is activated only during the initial opening period of the sub switch to display circuit normality or abnormality. After this preliminary diagnostic phase, the lamp turns off during normal heater operation. This provides necessary status information during critical startup detection while minimizing unnecessary power consumption during steady-state operation.
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
Prevents heating failures by ensuring proper fluid heating, preventing freezing and clogging, and enhancing temperature rise efficiency through controlled power feeding and monitoring, thus ensuring reliable engine operation.
Implementation Method 1
an electric heater for heating the fluid (1). The fluid means a blowby gas (1a), a drain oil (1b) from an oil separator (13), and fuel, etc.
Implementation Method 2
It is desirable to use a PTC heater and an IH heater as an electric heater (3).
Implementation Method 3
It is desirable to use a PTC heater and an IH heater as an electric heater (3).
Data Source
AI summary
An engine fluid heating apparatus, preventing failure in heating fluid, is provided. A control device opens a sub switch during an initial opening period (“IOP”) after closing a main switch, and the control device closes the sub switch during an initial closing period (“ICP”) after the IOP. Circuit normality is displayed by turning on an indicator lamp when a heater feeding circuit is electrically conducted via a bypass electric circuit during the IOP. Heater feeding is displayed by turning off the indicator lamp when power is supplied to the electric heater via a trunk electric circuit during the ICP. Circuit abnormality is displayed by turning off the indicator lamp when the heater feeding circuit is not electrically conducted via the bypass electric circuit during the IOP, and the circuit abnormality display is held by keeping the indicator lamp off during the ICP immediately after the IOP.