Evaporative Radiator Cooling for EV Thermal Load Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermal management systems in electric vehicles face challenges in maintaining narrow temperature ranges for components like lithium ion battery packs and fuel cell stacks, leading to increased energy consumption that affects driving range, and traditional active cooling systems increase weight and cost.
Innovation Solution
An evaporative cooling system with a fluid tank, nozzle, and electronic processor that adjusts fluid ejection based on environmental conditions to optimize cooling efficiency, reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional active cooling systems are used, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases and driving range is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies evaporative cooling by spraying water onto the radiator, utilizing the phase transition from liquid to vapor. This phase change absorbs latent heat from the radiator, providing effective cooling without requiring high-energy compressors or fans, thus resolving the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical active cooling systems (compressors, high-power fans) with a passive evaporative cooling system. By using water evaporation instead of mechanical refrigeration cycles, the system achieves comparable cooling effectiveness with significantly reduced energy consumption
2Temperature
If large radiators are used, then cooling capacity is improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
By utilizing evaporative cooling, the system enhances the cooling capacity of a smaller radiator. The phase transition of water provides additional cooling effect that compensates for the reduced radiator size, allowing weight reduction while maintaining adequate cooling capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the cooling mechanism from purely conductive/radiative heat transfer to evaporative heat transfer. This parameter change in the cooling process allows for more efficient heat dissipation per unit area, enabling the use of smaller, lighter radiators
3Temperature
If active refrigeration cooling circuits are used, then temperature control precision is improved, but energy consumption increases and driving range is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporative cooling system uses water evaporation to achieve precise temperature control. By controlling the spray rate and water flow, the system can modulate the cooling effect to match thermal demands, achieving temperature control precision comparable to active refrigeration systems but with much lower energy consumption
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 evaporative cooling system effectively manages thermal loads without impacting the vehicle's driving range, offering a lightweight and cost-effective solution for radiator cooling.
Implementation Method 1
An evaporative cooling system with a fluid tank, nozzle, and electronic processor that adjusts fluid ejection based on environmental conditions to optimize cooling efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for evaporative cooling a radiator of an electric vehicle. The system includes a fluid tank containing a fluid, a nozzle fluidly coupled to the fluid tank, and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to receive environmental condition information, determine a first effectiveness factor of operating the nozzle to cool the radiator based on the environmental condition information, and determine a second effectiveness factor of cooling the radiator by operating a thermal management system. The electronic processor is further configured to operate the nozzle such that a fluid output is ejected at the radiator of the vehicle when the first effectiveness factor is greater than the second effectiveness factor.