Vehicle Intercooler Shutter for Cold Weather Condensate Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Intercoolers in vehicle chargers face issues with overcooling and condensate water formation in low-ambient temperatures, leading to engine startup difficulties and output deterioration due to freezing condensate water.
Innovation Solution
An intercooler design with adjustable tubes and a shutter system, where adjustment tubes can be opened or closed by an actuator, reducing overcooling and condensate water generation by varying the tube opening amount based on vehicle load and ambient temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the intercooler operates in low-ambient temperature conditions, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the air becomes overcooled causing condensate water generation and freezing
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter is made movable to dynamically adjust the opening area of the intercooler inlet based on operating conditions. The actuator controls the shutter position to vary the amount of air entering the intercooler, allowing the system to adapt to different ambient temperatures and prevent overcooling in cold conditions while maintaining adequate cooling when needed.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the shutter closes more tubes, then the overcooling is reduced, but the cooling capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The intercooler inlet is divided into multiple adjustable sections corresponding to different tubes. The shutter can selectively close individual tubes or groups of tubes based on operating conditions. This segmentation allows precise control over the cooling capacity, closing only the necessary number of tubes to prevent overcooling while keeping other tubes open to maintain adequate cooling performance.
3Temperature
If the intercooler is designed for maximum cooling capacity, then the cooling performance is improved, but the risk of overcooling and condensate water increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a controller that receives signals about operating conditions (such as ambient temperature, engine load, and charger operation status) and automatically adjusts the shutter position accordingly. This feedback mechanism allows the intercooler to automatically reduce its cooling capacity when overcooling is detected or anticipated, preventing condensate water generation and freezing that would harm engine startup reliability, while maintaining maximum cooling performance when conditions are favorable.
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
Stably secures engine startup and prevents engine output deterioration by minimizing overcooling and condensate water formation, ensuring smooth operation even in cold conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The intercooler is configured to cool the air discharged from the charger through heat exchange between a plurality of tubes through which the discharged air passes and cold outdoor air or cooling water
Implementation Method 2
an actuator provided to move the shutter straight
Data Source
AI summary
An intercooler of a vehicle includes a plurality of tubes arranged straight so that a charging air passes through the tubes, a shutter installed to open and close inlets of at least two of the tubes as the tubes move straight along a direction in which the tubes are arranged, and an actuator provided to move the shutter straight. The plurality of tubes are divided into adjustment tubes that can be opened and closed by the shutter and cooling tubes that are always opened regardless of the shutter, and the adjustment tubes are located on lower sides of the cooling tubes.