Integrated Cooling Manifold and Heat Exchanger to Eliminate Leak Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal management systems for engines and motors are complex, prone to leaks, and require a large envelope, complicating assembly, maintenance, and troubleshooting due to multiple conduits, fittings, and interfaces.
Innovation Solution
A cooling sub-system with an integrally formed heat exchanger and manifold as a single unit, utilizing additive manufacturing to reduce complexity and size, featuring internal passageways and seats for sensors and valves, allowing direct installation without pipes and simplifying fluid connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple conduits, fittings, and interfaces are used to connect heat exchanger and valves, then fluid flow paths can be established, but the system complexity increases and reliability decreases due to multiple leak points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the heat exchanger and manifold into a single integrally formed component. The manifold, which traditionally would be a separate assembly of pipes and fittings connecting valves, sensors, and the heat exchanger, is now merged with the heat exchanger body. This integration eliminates multiple external connections and interfaces, directly reducing leak points and system complexity while maintaining all necessary fluid flow paths.
2Area of stationary object
If conventional piping and fittings are used to connect system components, then fluid connections can be made, but the overall envelope size increases and assembly becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold and heat exchanger are integrally formed as one component, eliminating the need for separate piping and fittings. This merger compactly integrates all fluid distribution channels, valve connections, and sensor ports within the heat exchanger structure itself, significantly reducing the overall envelope area and simplifying assembly operations.
3Ease of repair
If multiple separate components are used in the cooling sub-system, then functional requirements can be met, but maintenance and troubleshooting time increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the manifold with the heat exchanger into a single component, the patent reduces the total number of discrete parts in the cooling sub-system. This integration means fewer individual components require maintenance, and troubleshooting can focus on a single unified assembly rather than multiple separate parts, directly reducing maintenance and diagnostic time.
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 reduces the overall envelope, simplifies assembly and maintenance, enhances reliability, and improves thermal management efficiency by eliminating piping and external connections, while allowing for easier integration and reduced maintenance time.
Implementation Method 1
the working fluid is passed through this assembly, e.g., to cool the oil, e.g., through heat exchange with air or another cooler fluid
Implementation Method 2
depositing a layer of additive material on a bed of an additive manufacturing machine and selectively directing energy from an energy source onto the layer of additive material to fuse a portion of the additive material and form the cooling sub-system
Data Source
AI summary
Cooling sub-systems and methods of manufacturing cooling sub-systems are provided. For example, a cooling sub-system comprises a heat exchanger and a manifold that comprises a first sensor seat and a first valve seat, which are in fluid communication with a flow of a working fluid through the heat exchanger and the manifold. The heat exchanger and manifold are integrally formed as a single unit. In some embodiments, the manifold further comprises a second sensor seat, a second valve seat, and a plurality of internal passageways, which fluidly connects the first and second sensor seats and the first and second valve seats a working fluid inlet and a working fluid outlet for an ingress of working fluid into and out of the manifold. The cooling sub-system may be manufactured by one or more additive manufacturing methods.