Hybrid Vehicle Battery Cooling System with Centralized Blower
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems for large battery systems in hybrid electric vehicles are inefficient due to contamination of incoming air and the need for multiple blowers, which complicates maintenance and air quality control.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system with an air inlet positioned above the vehicle platform to draw cleaner air, filtered by media such as screens and spin filters, and a blower powered by a motor within the cooling fluid duct to pass the air over or through energy storage devices into a common vented area, minimizing the number of blowers and improving air quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple blowers are used for each energy storage device, then each device can be cooled individually, but the system complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual blower units into a single centralized blower that serves all energy storage devices. This is achieved by implementing a common air inlet positioned above the platform that draws clean air, a single blower located in the engine compartment that forces this air through a manifold system distributed to multiple devices, and a shared exhaust system. This merging reduces the total number of blowers from multiple individual units to just one centralized unit, thereby reducing system complexity and maintenance requirements while maintaining cooling effectiveness for all devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The single centralized blower performs the universal function of cooling all energy storage devices simultaneously. The blower is designed to force cooling air through a manifold system that distributes air to multiple devices, making this single component serve multiple purposes that previously required separate blowers for each device.
2Ease of manufacture
If air inlet is positioned below the platform, then the cooling system is simpler to install, but the incoming air contains contaminants such as rocks, pebbles, dust and debris
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional air inlet positioning by placing the air inlet above the platform instead of below it. This positional inversion allows the system to draw cooling air from a cleaner source that is free from contaminants such as rocks, pebbles, dust, and debris that would be present below the platform. The single blower then forces this clean air through the energy storage devices, achieving both improved air quality and simplified system design.
3Reliability
If individual blowers and wire mesh are provided for each energy storage device, then each device can be cooled independently, but the maintenance and control of the cooling system becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual blower controls and wire mesh filters into a single centralized control system. The single blower is controlled by a controller that receives temperature inputs from multiple devices and adjusts the blower operation accordingly. The wire mesh filter is positioned once in the air inlet path to protect all devices, eliminating the need for multiple individual filters. This merging simplifies maintenance by reducing the number of components that need regular inspection and servicing.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller monitors temperature inputs from multiple energy storage devices and uses this feedback to adjust the operation of the single blower. This feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain reliable cooling control for all devices while using a single blower, as the controller dynamically adjusts air flow based on the thermal conditions of the devices.
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 enhances air quality for the cooling system, reduces the number of blowers for easier maintenance, and improves the efficiency of the cooling process by using a single filtering location and fewer blowers, thereby extending the life of filter and battery components.
Implementation Method 1
a blower powered by a motor positioned within the cooling fluid duct to draw cooling fluid into the inlet and through the cooling fluid duct to pass the cooling fluid over or through the at least one energy storage device
Implementation Method 2
filtered by media such as screens and spin filters
Data Source
AI summary
A system is provided for cooling an energy storage system of a hybrid electric vehicle. The energy storage system includes at least one energy storage device. The system includes an inlet positioned on the outer surface of the vehicle above the platform. More particularly, the system includes a cooling fluid duct in flow communication with the inlet and the at least one energy storage device. Additionally, the system includes a blower powered by a respective motor and positioned within the to draw cooling fluid into the inlet and through the cooling fluid duct to pass the cooling fluid over or through the at least one energy storage device and into a common vented area of the vehicle.