Vehicle Heat Exchanger With Isolated Cooling Loops
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat management systems in vehicles face challenges in safely and reliably managing heat transfer, as cooling means often need to be arranged near vehicle elements, risking electrical short circuits and safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger is designed to thermally couple two separate cooling loops, allowing heat to be dissipated from vehicle elements to one loop and then transferred to the other loop, while electrically isolating the loops to prevent unintended current transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling means are arranged near vehicle elements to dissipate heat, then heat dissipation effectiveness is improved, but electrical short circuit risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into two separate cooling loops (first cooling loop and second cooling loop) that are electrically isolated from each other. The vehicle element to be cooled is connected to the first cooling loop, while the heat exchanger connected to the second cooling loop is arranged at a safe distance. This segmentation allows effective heat dissipation while preventing electrical short circuits by separating the electrical components into different isolated loops.
2Reliability
If cooling means are arranged at a safe distance from vehicle elements, then electrical short circuit risk is reduced, but heat dissipation effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A heat exchanger is introduced as an intermediary component between the vehicle element and the second cooling loop. The heat exchanger thermally couples the first cooling loop (connected to the vehicle element) with the second cooling loop (arranged at safe distance). This intermediary enables heat transfer from the vehicle element to the remotely positioned heat exchanger, maintaining both safety and heat dissipation effectiveness.
3Device complexity
If a single cooling loop is used to cool vehicle elements, then system complexity is reduced, but safety in case of malfunction decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two separate cooling loops that are electrically isolated from each other. The first cooling loop is connected to the vehicle element to be cooled, while the second cooling loop contains the heat exchanger arranged at a safe distance. This segmentation ensures that a malfunction in one loop does not affect the other, thereby improving safety while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
4Productivity
If cooling means are positioned close to vehicle elements, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but electrical isolation is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger serves as an intermediary that enables efficient heat exchange between the first cooling loop (connected to the vehicle element) and the second cooling loop (arranged at safe distance). Through thermal coupling via the heat exchanger, high heat exchange efficiency is achieved while the electrical isolation between the two loops maintains safety by preventing electrical short circuits.
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 ensures safe and reliable heat management by preventing electrical short circuits and allowing for effective heat exchange between the cooling loops, even in case of malfunction or damage to vehicle elements.
Implementation Method 1
heat can be dissipated from one or more vehicle elements of a vehicle to the first cooling loop and can be further dissipated from the first cooling loop to the second cooling loop via the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
The heat exchanger is configured to enable a thermal coupling of a first cooling loop and a second cooling loop of the vehicle heat management system
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger for a vehicle heat management system comprising a first cooling loop and a second cooling loop which is separate from the first cooling loop. The heat exchanger is configured to enable a thermal coupling of the first cooling loop and the second cooling loop. In a coupled condition, the first cooling loop, the second cooling loop and the heat exchanger are configured such that heat can be dissipated from one or more vehicle elements of a vehicle to the first cooling loop and can be further dissipated from the first cooling loop to the second cooling loop via the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is configured to electrically isolate the first cooling loop from the second cooling loop.