Foam Insulated Heatable Fluid Line for Automotive Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid lines are inflexible, complex, and lack sufficient insulation, leading to inefficient heat retention and protection against freezing and overheating, especially in vehicles where they are exposed to varying temperatures and mechanical stress.
Innovation Solution
A thermally insulated, heatable, and flexible fluid line is developed using a coextrusion process with a closed-cell foam insulation layer that reduces heat transfer and allows for easy installation, featuring a movable insulation layer made of thermoplastic elastomer, which provides enhanced flexibility and insulation without bonding to the base layer, and includes a heating device embedded within the insulation for efficient heat distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional solid insulation material is used, then thermal insulation is provided, but flexibility and ease of installation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies porous foam material with closed cells filled with gas (air or alternative gases) to provide thermal insulation. The porous structure with low thermal conductivity reduces heat transfer while maintaining flexibility, as the gas-filled cells can deform under bending stress without compromising insulation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction combining the support layer (fluid-carrying line) with a foam insulation layer made of thermoplastic elastomer. This composite structure integrates mechanical support, thermal insulation, and flexibility in a single integrated component, resolving the contradiction between insulation and flexibility.
2Loss of energy
If thick insulation layer is used, then thermal insulation is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the insulation layer and heating device into a single integrated component. The heating device is embedded within the foam insulation layer, eliminating the need for separate insulation and heating components, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining effective insulation thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the foam material parameters (density, cell structure, gas composition) to achieve effective thermal insulation with reduced thickness. By changing the thermal conductivity parameter of the foam material, sufficient insulation is achieved with a thinner layer, reducing manufacturing complexity.
3Strength
If insulation layer is firmly bonded to support layer, then structural integrity is improved, but ease of assembly and maintenance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic, movable connection between the insulation layer and support layer rather than a permanent bond. The insulation layer can move relative to the support layer, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly while maintaining structural integrity during operation through friction and geometric constraints.
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 solution provides improved insulation, flexibility, and ease of installation while maintaining structural integrity and efficient heat transfer, allowing the fluid line to maintain temperature stability and withstand mechanical stress, making it suitable for automotive applications.
Implementation Method 1
The cavities enclosed in the insulation layer have a very low thermal conductivity and reduce the heat-transferring material cross-section in the insulation layer, so that less heat can be transported from the inside to the outside than via solid material.
Implementation Method 2
a heating device (3)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a thermally insulated, heatable and flexible fluid line, comprising: a carrier layer, a heating unit and an insulation layer. In order to provide a thermally insulated, heatable and flexible fluid line of the type defined above, which can be installed more easily with an improved insulation effect than the conventional fluid lines, according to the invention the insulation layer has a foam structure.