Integrated Valve Unit With Dual Mixing Chambers for EV Thermal Control
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional vehicle thermal management systems are complex, heavy, and expensive, with a high number of components that complicate packaging and increase weight, making them inefficient for new energy vehicles like hybrid or electric vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A compact valve unit design featuring a first and second valve body within a housing structure, connected via an actuator and spring, allowing for efficient mixing of heat transfer fluid through internal mixing chambers, reducing the number of components and simplifying packaging while enabling flexible temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional thermal management systems are used with multiple separate components, then temperature control functionality is achieved, but system weight increases and packaging space is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple valve bodies (first valve body and second valve body) into a single integrated valve unit housed within one housing structure. This merging of previously separate components into a unified structure directly reduces the number of discrete parts, thereby decreasing system weight and packaging space while maintaining the temperature control functionality through coordinated operation of the integrated valve bodies.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated valve unit performs multiple thermal management functions simultaneously through its multiple valve bodies and flow paths. The first valve body controls flow to a first heat exchanger while the second valve body controls flow to a second heat exchanger, enabling the single component to replace multiple separate components and achieve both weight reduction and functional versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate valve components are used, then independent control of different heat exchangers is achieved, but component packaging becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple valve bodies that would traditionally be separate components are merged into a single integrated valve unit with a common housing structure. This consolidation reduces the packaging footprint and simplifies installation while maintaining independent control capability through the actuator mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve bodies are arranged concentrically or in nested configurations within the single housing structure, with the first valve body and second valve body positioned to utilize space efficiently. This nesting approach allows multiple control functions to coexist in a compact arrangement, reducing packaging space while preserving control flexibility.
3Temperature
If traditional thermal management systems are used, then temperature control is achieved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of multiple valve bodies into a single manufactured unit reduces assembly complexity and the number of connections required. This merging approach simplifies system construction while maintaining the temperature control functionality through the coordinated operation of the integrated valve bodies, thereby reducing overall system cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The single valve unit provides multiple control functions for different heat exchangers, eliminating the need for separate control systems and reducing the overall complexity of the thermal management system. This multi-functionality approach maintains comprehensive temperature control capability while simplifying system construction and reducing costs.
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 results in a lightweight, less complex thermal management system with reduced component count, enabling efficient integration and control of multiple system components with a single actuator and spring, thus improving packaging efficiency and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
The second valve body is connected to the first valve body via a spring. The second valve body is configured for being rotatably displaced around the rotational axis by the spring upon rotational displacement of the first valve body.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve unit for a vehicle thermal management system. The valve unit includes a first valve body, a second valve body, and a housing structure. The first valve body and the second valve body are arranged within the housing structure and rotatably arranged in relation to the housing structure between different valve positions around a common rotational axis. The first valve body is connected to an actuator for rotational displacement of the first valve body around the rotational axis, and the second valve body is connected to the first valve body via a spring. The second valve body is configured for being rotatably displaced around the rotational axis by the spring upon rotational displacement of the first valve body. The housing structure includes a first mixing chamber arranged in connection to the first valve body and a second mixing chamber arranged in connection to the second valve body.