Vehicle Inductor Cooling with Arcuate Fluid Redirection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cooling performance of an inductor in an electrified vehicle's transmission housing varies with gear rotational speed, peaking and then decreasing at higher speeds, leading to insufficient heat dissipation during high current conditions.
Innovation Solution
An arcuate baffle or fluid diverter redirects transmission fluid splashed by rotating gears towards the inductor coils, enhancing heat transfer and cooling performance across a broader range of rotational speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the inductor is cooled by transmission fluid distributed by rotation of gears, then cooling is achieved without additional components, but cooling performance decreases at higher rotational speeds
Solution Approach 1:
An arcuate baffle is introduced as an intermediary component to redirect fluid flow. The baffle intercepts fluid splashed by gear rotation and redirects it toward the inductor core and windings, ensuring consistent cooling performance across varying rotational speeds without adding complex active control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling approach transitions from relying solely on radial fluid splashing to incorporating a three-dimensional flow redirection path. The arcuate baffle creates a new fluid circulation dimension by capturing fluid at one location and redirecting it along an arched path to contact the inductor from a different spatial angle
2Speed
If gear rotational speed increases, then fluid circulation increases, but fluid is splashed away from the inductor reducing cooling effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The arcuate baffle performs preliminary interception of fluid flow before the fluid can be splashed away from the inductor. By positioning the baffle to catch and redirect fluid at the source of splashing, the system prevents the harmful effect of fluid escape before it occurs, maintaining cooling effectiveness across all rotational speeds
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 baffle maintains effective cooling performance by ensuring consistent fluid contact with the inductor coils, even at higher rotational speeds, thereby managing thermal challenges effectively.
Implementation Method 1
a baffle connected to the inductor and configured to redirect fluid splashed from the at least one gear toward the core and conductive windings
Implementation Method 2
cooled by transmission fluid distributed by rotation of gears or other components of the transmission
Implementation Method 3
redirect fluid splashed from the at least one gear toward the core and conductive windings
Data Source
AI summary
An electrified vehicle includes an inductor having an associated arcuate deflector to redirect fluid toward inductor coils to facilitate heat transfer. The inductor may be disposed within a transmission proximate to at least one gear that distributes fluid during rotation to proximate components to provide splash lubrication. The arcuate deflector may redirect splashed fluid from between the inductor and the transmission housing toward the inductor coils. The deflector may be secured to the inductor via terminal connectors that electrically couple the inductor coils to a bus bar connected to a variable voltage converter.