Hydrodynamic Machine Seal Cooling via Pressurized Branch
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Solution Overview
Problem
In motor-vehicle cooling systems with hydrodynamic machines, seals experience early wear and tear due to insufficient cooling and lubrication caused by a low volume flow of the cooling medium, which is often attributed to a low pressure difference in the cooling medium circuit.
Innovation Solution
The cooling medium is branched off from the circuit behind or in the region of the cooling medium pump and supplied directly to the seal, with optimized routing to maximize the pressure difference, ensuring effective cooling and lubrication by utilizing the largest pressure difference in the system, either before or after the hydrodynamic machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the cooling medium is branched off directly before the hydrodynamic machine and supplied directly after, then the system structure is simple, but the pressure difference over the seal is insufficient leading to early seal wear
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling medium circuit is segmented into multiple branching paths: one path supplies the seal with sufficient pressure difference, while another path maintains the main cooling flow through the hydrodynamic machine. This segmentation allows independent optimization of seal cooling and machine cooling without compromising either function.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary cooling medium supply line is introduced between the main cooling circuit and the seal, equipped with control valves and pressure regulation mechanisms. This intermediary structure enables precise control of the pressure difference across the seal while maintaining the simplicity of the overall system architecture.
2Productivity
If the hydrodynamic machine is optimized for low flow resistance, then the machine efficiency is improved, but the pressure difference available for seal cooling is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling medium flow is divided into separate segments: one segment passes through the hydrodynamic machine with minimal resistance for optimal machine efficiency, while another segment is diverted through a separate path specifically for seal cooling, ensuring sufficient pressure difference independent of the machine's flow resistance optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling medium is pre-conditioned and pressurized in the main circuit before branching to the seal cooling path. This preliminary pressurization ensures that when the cooling medium reaches the seal, it has sufficient pressure difference to provide effective cooling, regardless of how low the flow resistance is optimized in the hydrodynamic machine.
3Ease of operation
If a separate cooling medium branch is used for the seal, then the seal cooling is active, but the volume flow to the seal remains too low due to low pressure difference
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediary pressure regulation system is introduced in the seal cooling branch, including check valves and pressure control mechanisms that maintain a sufficient pressure difference across the seal. This intermediary system ensures that the active seal cooling receives adequate volume flow of cooling medium, transforming the activated cooling system into an effectively functioning one.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure parameter of the cooling medium in the seal cooling branch is specifically optimized and maintained at a higher level compared to the main cooling circuit. By changing and controlling the pressure parameter in this specific branch, the volume flow to the seal is increased to levels that ensure effective cooling and prevent premature wear.
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 significantly increases the pressure difference driving the cooling medium flow through the seal, leading to improved seal life and reduced wear by ensuring adequate cooling and lubrication, even in optimized flow resistance scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling medium will absorb heat from the seal and discharge the same via the cooling medium circuit
Implementation Method 2
The cooling medium can also be used additionally or alternatively for lubricating the seal
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system has a drive motor which is to be cooled by a cooling medium. A cooling medium circuit conducts the cooling medium. A hydrodynamic machine comprising a working space can be filled with a working medium. The working medium is the cooling medium, and the hydrodynamic machine has a seal which is cooled and/or lubricated by the cooling medium. A cooling medium pump for circulating the cooling medium is in the cooling medium circuit. A pick-off is in the cooling medium circuit in the region of the cooling medium pump. Via the pick-off, the cooling medium is branched out of the cooling medium circuit. The branched-off cooling medium is conducted directly through or past the seal to cool and/or lubricate the latter, and the cooling medium which is conducted through or past the seal is supplied to the cooling medium circuit upstream or downstream of the working space.