Heater element assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heater elements for vehicles, particularly in battery electric vehicles, face challenges such as energy inefficiency in winter due to energy loss and difficulty in rapid heating, especially when outside temperatures are low, and require a more compact design to reduce space occupancy while maintaining protection and reducing heat loss.
Innovation Solution
A heater element assembly comprising a honeycomb structure with PTC characteristics protected by a resin frame body via a cushioning material, which reduces thermal stress and heat loss, and allows for efficient heating performance without obstructing the flow paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heater element is protected by a rigid frame body, then protection performance is improved, but thermal stress increases and heat loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
A resin frame body is used as an intermediary protective structure that provides mechanical protection while maintaining thermal performance. The resin material acts as a mediator between the heater element and the external environment, offering protection without the thermal drawbacks of rigid metal frames.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame body material is changed from rigid metal to resin, fundamentally altering the thermal and mechanical parameters. This parameter change allows the frame to provide protection while having lower thermal conductivity (reducing heat loss) and better thermal stress characteristics.
2Volume of moving object
If a heater element is made compact, then space occupancy is reduced, but protection performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heater element assembly combines the heater core with a resin frame body and cushioning material to create a composite protective structure. This composite design provides adequate protection for a compact component, achieving both compactness and reliability.
3Speed
If a heater element uses Joule heat for rapid heating, then heating speed is improved, but device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
A honeycomb structure is employed as the heater element core, providing high surface area to volume ratio. This porous-like structure enables efficient Joule heating with rapid heat generation while maintaining a compact form factor, as the honeycomb geometry maximizes heating surface within minimal space.
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 enhanced protection and reduced heat loss, ensuring effective heating performance while maintaining compactness and preventing damage to the heater element, thus improving energy efficiency and reducing thermal stress.
Implementation Method 1
a heater element comprising a honeycomb structure portion capable of generating heat when energized
Implementation Method 2
the partition walls comprising a material having PTC characteristics
Implementation Method 3
the frame body comprises a first frame portion which is made of resin and has an inner peripheral surface that fits with an outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall of the honeycomb structure portion via the cushioning material
Implementation Method 4
a heater element assembly comprising a heater element, a cushioning material, and a frame body
Data Source
AI summary
A heater element assembly includes a heater element, a cushioning material, and a frame body, the heater element includes: a honeycomb structure portion capable of generating heat when energized; a first electrode layer that covers a part or all of a surface of the partition walls forming the first end surface; a second electrode layer that covers a part or all of a surface of the partition walls forming the second end surface; a first terminal connected to an outer surface of the first electrode layer; and a second terminal connected to an outer surface of the second electrode layer; wherein the frame body includes a first frame portion which is made of resin and has an inner peripheral surface that fits with an outer peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall of the honeycomb structure portion via the cushioning material.