Integrated Fuel Controller with Air Filter for Waste Heat Purge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fuel systems for vehicles face challenges in cooling the controller, leading to reduced durability, and purge efficiency is inadequate due to reduced engine negative pressure generation, especially in CVVL and HEV/PHEV engines, with no effective technology to improve purge efficiency and increased manufacturing costs from separate components.
Innovation Solution
An integrated controller for the fuel system that includes a mounting member on the fuel tank with an air filter, where the air filter and controller exchange heat, enhancing cooling and utilizing waste heat to improve purge efficiency, reducing the number of parts and manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the controller is manufactured as a separate component and installed to the fuel tank, then the controller can be independently maintained and replaced, but additional parts (mounting bracket, electrical wiring, connectors, clamps) are required, increasing device complexity and manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is integrated with the fuel pump into a single unit, eliminating the need for separate mounting brackets, electrical wiring, connectors, and clamps. This merging of components directly reduces the number of parts and manufacturing costs while maintaining the controller's functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated controller-fuel pump unit serves multiple functions within a single component structure. The controller not only operates the fuel pump but also incorporates cooling functionality through integration with the air filter housing, demonstrating multi-functionality that reduces overall system complexity.
2Device complexity
If the controller is integrated with the fuel pump, then the number of parts and manufacturing costs are reduced, but a substantial amount of heat is generated from elements on the printed circuit board, requiring cooling devices
Solution Approach 1:
The air filter housing serves as an intermediary cooling structure. Air flowing through the air filter passes over the controller, utilizing the housing as a heat exchange intermediary to dissipate heat from the controller's printed circuit board elements without requiring additional active cooling devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated design utilizes the existing air flow through the air filter to cool the controller automatically. The system self-regulates temperature by leveraging the natural cooling effect of air passage, eliminating the need for separate cooling mechanisms and maintaining simplicity.
3Temperature
If separate cooling devices are added to cool the controller, then the controller temperature is reduced, but the number of parts and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is merged with the air filter housing structure. The housing that already exists for the air filter is designed to also serve as a cooling chamber, allowing air to pass over the controller. This eliminates the need for separate cooling devices while maintaining effective temperature control.
4Ease of manufacture
If the air filter and controller are separate components, then each component can be independently manufactured and maintained, but manufacturing costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The air filter and controller are integrated into a single housing structure, allowing them to be manufactured together as one unit. This merging reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating separate production processes and assembly steps while simultaneously enabling direct thermal coupling for effective cooling.
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 integrated air-filter-controller configuration effectively cools the controller, increases purge efficiency by using waste heat, and reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for separate components and external cooling devices.
Implementation Method 1
the filter case is formed integrally with the accommodation portion to realize heat exchange between air passing through the filter case and the motor driver
Data Source
AI summary
A controller of a fuel system for a vehicle is provided in which heat is dissipated outside from a printed circuit board to cool the controller. The dissipated heat is utilized to maximize the efficiency of the purge operation using a canister by waste heat. The controller is integrated with an air filter for removing foreign substances from air to be suctioned into a canister, and is configured to realize heat exchange between air passing through the air filter and a motor driver.