EV Drive Inverter-Oil Cooler Layout for Compact Waterproof Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicle driving devices face issues with increased size and weight due to the need for pipes around oil coolers, and there is a risk of cooling water entering waterproof regions, leading to potential rust and electrical failures.
Innovation Solution
The electric vehicle driving device integrates an oil cooler in contact with the inverter, eliminating the need for pipes around the oil cooler by connecting the cooling water paths directly between the inverter and the oil cooler, thus reducing weight and size while preventing cooling water entry into waterproof regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If pipes are provided around the oil cooler to route cooling water, then cooling function is achieved, but device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the oil cooler with the inverter housing, integrating the cooling water passage directly into the inverter structure. This eliminates the need for separate pipes around the oil cooler, reducing device weight and size while maintaining effective cooling function through direct thermal contact between the oil cooler and inverter housing.
2Temperature
If pipes are provided around the oil cooler to route cooling water, then cooling function is achieved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the oil cooler with the inverter housing, integrating the cooling water passage directly into the inverter structure. This eliminates the need for separate pipes around the oil cooler, reducing device size while maintaining effective cooling function through direct thermal contact between the oil cooler and inverter housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The inverter housing serves multiple functions: it houses the inverter components, provides structural support, and acts as a heat exchanger for the oil cooler through integrated cooling water passages. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate piping structures, reducing overall device size.
3Loss of energy
If the oil cooler is provided separately with hoses and nipples, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but volume efficiency decreases and mounting becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the oil cooler with the inverter housing, creating an integrated assembly that eliminates the need for separate hoses and nipples. The cooling water passages are directly formed in the inverter housing, maintaining heat exchange efficiency through direct thermal contact while significantly improving volume efficiency and simplifying mounting operations.
4Volume of stationary object
If the cooling water path is provided inside the gear box, then compact design is achieved, but cooling water may enter waterproof regions causing rust and electrical failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling water passage from the gear box (waterproof region) and relocates it to the inverter housing. The oil cooler is positioned at the boundary between these regions, with cooling water passages only in the inverter housing. This extraction eliminates the risk of cooling water entering the gear box while maintaining compact design through the integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The inverter housing acts as an intermediary structure that houses the oil cooler and provides cooling water passages without compromising the waterproof integrity of the gear box. The oil cooler itself serves as a mediator, enabling thermal exchange between the gear box oil and the inverter cooling water system while maintaining physical separation between the two fluid systems.
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 configuration reduces the weight and size of the electric vehicle driving device, enhances volume efficiency, and prevents cooling water from entering waterproof regions, thereby reducing the risk of rust and electrical failures.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling water absorbs heat from the high-temperature oil at the oil cooler, and the temperature-increased cooling water dissipates heat at the radiator to the surrounding air
Implementation Method 2
heat is transferred from the heat generation portion of the electric vehicle driving device to the radiator via the oil and the cooling water
Implementation Method 3
the oil absorbs heat, so that the heat generation portion is cooled
Implementation Method 4
the oil circulating in the oil-cooled system undergoes heat exchange with the cooling water at the oil cooler
Data Source
AI summary
This electric vehicle driving device includes: a motor; a gear box storing a speed reduction mechanism connected to the motor, and a differential mechanism connected to the speed reduction mechanism; an inverter which is electrically connected to the motor and converts power; and an oil cooler which oil-cools the motor. The inverter has first and second cooling water paths through which cooling water flows. The oil cooler has an oil-cooler water path through which the cooling water flows. The oil cooler is provided in contact with the inverter. At the contact part, the first cooling water path and the oil-cooler water path are connected, and the second cooling water path and the oil-cooler water path are connected. A water path is formed such that the cooling water flows in order of the first cooling water path, the oil-cooler water path, and then the second cooling water path.