Vehicle Heat Pump Airflow Blockage Detection for Thermal Units
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Heat pump systems in vehicles face inefficiencies due to potential blockages of their thermal units, leading to increased energy demand and obstructed fuel and energy consumption reduction goals, especially in electric vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A method for determining condition data indicative of a blockage in a thermal unit of a vehicle's heat pump system, involving the receipt of model and measured data related to air flow through the thermal and air supply units, and the comparison of these data to determine blockage indicators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the thermal unit is blocked, then the heat pump system cannot perform its heating/cooling function effectively, but the energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of blockages by comparing measured air flow data with model data before the blockage severely impacts system performance. The control unit continuously monitors air flow through the thermal unit and compares it against expected values from a thermal model, enabling early detection and intervention before energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the control unit receives measured air flow data, compares it with model data, determines blockage condition data, and can trigger alerts or control actions. This closed-loop feedback enables continuous monitoring and response to blockage conditions, maintaining system reliability while preventing excessive energy consumption
2Loss of time
If blockage detection is implemented continuously, then blockage can be detected timely, but the system complexity and measurement requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an intermediary approach by employing a control unit that acts as a mediator between the air supply unit's measuring means and the thermal unit. The control unit receives measured data from existing sensors, processes it by comparing with model data, and determines blockage conditions without requiring direct physical access to the thermal unit or complex additional measurement devices
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual model (thermal model) of the heat pump system that replicates expected air flow behavior under normal conditions. By comparing measured data against this digital copy of the system's normal operation, the system can detect blockages using simple data comparison logic rather than complex physical measurement devices
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a method (100) for determining condition data indicative of a blockage of a thermal unit (22) of a heat pump system (20) of a vehicle (1), the heat pump system (20) further comprising an air supply unit (24), the method (100) comprising: - receiving model data (110) indicative of an air flow through the thermal unit (22) and the air supply unit (24), wherein the model data is based on a model of the heat pump system (20); - receiving measured data (120) indicative of the air flow through the thermal unit (22) and the air supply unit (24), wherein the measured data is based on one or more measuring means of the air supply unit (24); and - determining the condition data (130) based at least on the model data and the measured data.