Liquid-to-Air Heat Exchanger Control for Lower Cooling Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid-to-air heat exchangers in vehicles consume excessive power due to inefficient control over coolant and fan speeds, leading to suboptimal cooling performance.
Innovation Solution
A method to determine and adjust the speed of either the fan or the pump based on gradients in heat transfer rate to power, prioritizing the device with the higher gradient to minimize power consumption and achieve efficient cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fan speed or pump speed is increased to improve heat transfer rate, then cooling performance is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes operating parameters (fan speed, pump speed) based on real-time gradient calculations of heat transfer rate to power ratio, selecting the optimal parameter combination that achieves required cooling with minimum power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The control system transitions from static speed control to dynamic speed adjustment, continuously adapting fan and pump speeds based on changing thermal conditions and gradient calculations to optimize the balance between cooling performance and energy consumption
2Reliability
If pump speed is increased to ensure sufficient coolant flow at demanding conditions, then cooling reliability is improved, but power consumption increases at all operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by adjusting pump speed to only the extent necessary to achieve the required heat transfer gradient, avoiding excessive pump operation and associated power consumption while maintaining adequate cooling reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The control system uses feedback from gradient calculations to continuously adjust pump speed, ensuring the pump operates at the optimal speed to maintain cooling reliability without consuming excessive power at partial load conditions
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 approach optimizes power usage by selectively increasing or decreasing fan and pump speeds based on heat transfer demands, ensuring efficient cooling while minimizing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a fan forcing air past the radiator
Implementation Method 2
a pump forcing convection
Implementation Method 3
liquid-to-air heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
An engine cooling system includes a liquid-to-air heat exchanger having an associated fan and a pump forcing convection and a controller communicating with the fan and the pump, the controller increasing fan speed in response to a first gradient in heat transfer rate to power exceeding a second gradient in heat transfer rate to power for increasing pump speed, and increasing pump speed when the second gradient is greater than the first gradient. The controller may increase the pump speed in response to a desired increase in heat transfer rate. The first gradient may be based on a gradient in heat transfer rate to air flow from a map of heat exchanger performance. The second gradient may be based on a gradient in heat transfer rate to coolant from a map of heat exchanger performance.