Inductor Cooling Plug for Adjustable Backpressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inductor cooling methods in electric vehicles, such as splashing transmission fluid or flowing coolant through conduents, are inefficient at low vehicle speeds and may not provide sufficient backpressure for effective cooling, leading to increased design complexity and cost due to individual component requirements.
Innovation Solution
A plug with fluid paths and fins or a serpentine design is integrated into the inductor to control fluid flow and backpressure, ensuring efficient cooling by choking fluid flow between the inlet and coils, allowing for adjustable backpressure without increasing the number of parts or complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If individual component designs are used for different backpressure requirements, then backpressure control for each component is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single integrated cooling component is designed to serve multiple components (inductor, converter, clutch) within the transmission system, providing universal cooling functionality. The component includes multiple fluid pathways that can be selectively activated or configured to meet different backpressure requirements for different components, eliminating the need for separate individual cooling components for each part.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated cooling component is segmented into multiple functional zones with separate fluid pathways for different components. Each pathway can be independently controlled through valves or flow restrictors, allowing selective activation of cooling paths based on which component requires cooling, thereby managing backpressure requirements without increasing overall system complexity.
2Stress or pressure
If individual component designs are used for different backpressure requirements, then backpressure control for each component is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple cooling components that would traditionally be manufactured and assembled separately are merged into a single integrated cooling unit. This consolidation reduces the total number of parts, simplifies manufacturing processes, lowers material costs, and reduces assembly operations while maintaining the capability to provide differentiated backpressure control for multiple components through integrated fluid pathway design.
3Temperature
If transmission fluid is splashed or coolant flows through conduits, then cooling is provided, but cooling efficiency at low vehicle speeds deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a hydraulically actuated pump to deliver coolant under pressure through controlled fluid pathways to the inductor and other components. This pressurized hydraulic delivery system ensures consistent coolant flow and effective cooling regardless of vehicle speed, eliminating the speed-dependent inefficiency of splash cooling methods where coolant flow relies on vehicle motion.
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 consistent and efficient cooling across varying vehicle speeds and different system applications, reducing design complexity and cost by allowing for adjustable backpressure without the need for individual component designs.
Implementation Method 1
balancing backpressure for each component may be necessary to deliver enough pressurized oil to each component
Implementation Method 2
The plug is in fluid communication with the fluid paths and chokes flow of fluid between the inlet and coils through the fluid paths
Implementation Method 3
Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) is commonly used to cool different components of the transmission system
Implementation Method 4
The plug and bobbin define a first fluid path between an inlet and the cavity. The plug chokes flow of fluid through the first fluid path
Data Source
AI summary
An inductor includes a bobbin defining a cavity, coils wound around the bobbin, and a plug inserted into the cavity. The plug and bobbin define a first fluid path between an inlet and the cavity. The plug is also arranged to choke flow of fluid through the first fluid path.