EV Air Conditioning Preconditioning Using Chassis Thermal Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Electric drive vehicles face reduced range due to limited battery energy storage and long charging times, exacerbated by high energy consumption of air conditioning systems when external temperatures are extreme, as they cannot utilize waste heat efficiently like internal combustion engine vehicles.

Innovation Solution

An air conditioning system for electric drive vehicles that can be activated when parked and connected to an external charging system, using a thermal device to exchange heat with the chassis, which is then used for thermal storage, allowing the passenger compartment to maintain temperature without relying on stored electric energy during initial travel phases.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If the air conditioning system is used during travel to heat or cool the passenger compartment when external temperature is extreme, then the desired temperature can be maintained in the passenger compartment, but the energy consumption from the battery increases significantly, reducing the vehicle range

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepassenger compartment temperatureVSAvoidbattery energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The air conditioning system is activated before the vehicle travels, when the vehicle is parked and connected to an external charging system. This preliminary action allows the passenger compartment to reach the desired temperature using external power rather than battery power, so that during travel the air conditioning only needs to maintain temperature with minimal energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Use of energy by stationary object

If the air conditioning system is activated before travel when the vehicle is connected to charging system, then the passenger compartment reaches desired temperature using external power, but when external temperature is particularly hostile, the passenger compartment exchanges large quantity of heat with outside as soon as travel starts, requiring significant energy consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexternal power usage for pre-conditioningVSAvoidbattery energy consumption during travel

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The vehicle chassis, which normally acts as a thermal bridge between the extreme external environment and the passenger compartment (causing heat exchange), is instead used as a thermal storage element. The chassis absorbs or releases heat to compensate for external temperature variations, converting the previously harmful thermal conduction path into a beneficial thermal buffer that reduces air conditioning energy consumption during travel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

This solution extends the time the passenger compartment maintains a desired temperature without significant air conditioning usage, reducing energy consumption and preserving range by utilizing the vehicle's mass as a thermal storage element, thereby minimizing the need for electric energy from the battery.

Implementation Method 1

using a thermal device to exchange heat with the chassis, which is then used for thermal storage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal energy storage: Thermal Energy Storage

Implementation Method 2

a thermal device to exchange heat with the chassis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentUS11993129B2Electric traction vehicle with an air conditioning system that can also be activated when the vehicle is parked and corresponding control method

Publication Date: 2024.05.28 FERRARI SPA

AI summary

Electric vehicle having a chassis, which supports a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, a passenger compartment, which is arranged between the front wheels and the rear wheels, at least one electric motor connected to drive wheels, an electric energy storage device, an air conditioning system, which is designed to air condition the passenger compartment by heating or cooling the air present in the passenger compartment, and a control unit, which is configured to activate the air conditioning system even when the vehicle is parked and connected to an external charging system, wherein the air conditioning system has at least one thermal device, which is designed to exchange heat directly and only with the chassis and the control unit is configured to activate the thermal device even when the vehicle is parked and connected to an external charging system.