Multifunction Thermal Management Device for Electric Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric vehicles require multiple specialized fluid circuits for thermal management, leading to increased energy consumption and additional development costs for air conditioning, heating, and ventilation systems, as existing solutions often necessitate separate components and complex designs.
Innovation Solution
A multifunction thermal management device and method that integrates an air conditioning loop and an engine cooling loop with a heat exchanger and storage vessel, allowing for heat exchange between the coolant and air, enabling efficient transfer of thermal energy for heating, cooling, and ventilation using conventional systems without modifying the existing HVAC units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate fluid circuits are provided for each thermal management function (air conditioning, heating, battery cooling), then each function can be independently optimized, but the system complexity and energy consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple thermal management functions (air conditioning, heating, battery cooling) into a single integrated fluid circuit. The circuit uses one coolant loop that can selectively serve different thermal zones through strategic placement of heat exchangers and control valves, eliminating the need for separate circuits for each function while maintaining independent control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The single fluid circuit is designed to perform multiple thermal management functions simultaneously or selectively. The same coolant loop can provide cooling to the battery, conditioning the passenger compartment, and managing thermal energy storage, making the system universal and adaptable to different operational requirements without needing dedicated circuits for each function.
2Reliability
If multiple specialized fluid circuits are implemented for thermal management, then each thermal function can be optimized independently, but the energy consumption of the vehicle increases
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple thermal management functions into a single fluid circuit, the system eliminates redundant pumping requirements and enables thermal energy sharing between different zones. The integrated circuit allows heat recovered from one component (e.g., battery cooling) to be utilized for another function (e.g., passenger compartment heating), significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to independent circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts waste thermal energy from one function into a useful resource for another. For example, heat rejected during battery cooling is captured and reused for heating the passenger compartment or pre-conditioning the coolant, transforming what would be wasted energy into a beneficial contribution to overall thermal management efficiency.
3Ease of manufacture
If separate fluid circuits are used for air conditioning and engine cooling, then each system can be independently designed, but additional development costs are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates air conditioning and engine cooling into a unified fluid circuit architecture. This consolidation reduces the number of separate systems that need to be designed, tested, and manufactured independently, thereby lowering development costs. The integrated design allows for shared components such as pumps, radiators, and control systems, further reducing overall development expenditure.
4Ease of manufacture
If conventional HVAC systems are used without modification, then development costs are reduced, but thermal management efficiency may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances conventional HVAC systems by integrating them into a multi-functional thermal management circuit. The same fluid loop that provides air conditioning can also deliver heating, battery cooling, and thermal energy storage functions. This multi-functionality is achieved through strategic placement of heat exchangers and intelligent control, allowing the conventional HVAC architecture to perform advanced thermal management tasks without requiring complete system replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary thermal conditioning of the coolant before it reaches various thermal zones. By pre-heating or pre-cooling the coolant in advance using waste heat recovery or thermal energy storage, the system improves the efficiency of subsequent thermal management operations without requiring major modifications to the conventional HVAC architecture.
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 optimizes thermal management by reducing energy consumption and development costs, allowing the vehicle to operate in various modes efficiently while using conventional HVAC systems, with the ability to store and reuse thermal energy for improved performance.
Implementation Method 1
comprising at least one condenser able to allow heat exchange between the cooling liquid and said heat transfer fluid
Implementation Method 2
said engine cooling loop further comprises a heat exchanger, called a heating radiator, able to allow heat exchange between the coolant and an air flow, said air flow being intended to heat the passenger compartment
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device for heat management in a vehicle comprising an air-conditioning loop (18) and an engine cooling loop (14), said engine cooling loop comprising an electrical unit (10) fully or partially involved in the propulsion of the vehicle and suitable for being cooled by a coolant, and said air-conditioning loop (18), which carries a heat-transfer fluid, comprising at least one condenser suitable for enabling a heat exchange between the coolant and said heat-transfer fluid. Specifically, said engine cooling loop (14) also comprises a heat exchanger (25), known as the heater core, suitable for enabling a heat exchange between the coolant and an air flow, said air flow being intended for heating, air-conditioning and/or ventilating the passenger compartment of the automobile, said condenser (20) and said heater core (25) being arranged in relation to one another such that the coolant passing through said heater core (25) can at least be heated when passing through said condenser (20). The invention also relates to a heat management method using such a device.