Thermal management system for vehicle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles require a separate cooling system for controllers, increasing costs, space, and weight, and complicating the layout of connection pipes within the engine compartment, as existing air-conditioning systems are not sufficient to handle the thermal management needs of these vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system that includes a cooling apparatus and modular energy modules to selectively heat-exchange thermal energy generated during refrigerant condensation and evaporation, using low-cost and high-performance refrigerants like R152-a, R744, or R290 to efficiently cool and heat the vehicle interior and controllers, simplifying the system layout and reducing costs and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate cooling system for the controller is added to the existing air-conditioning system, then the controller can be cooled effectively, but the cost increases and the space required inside the vehicle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the controller cooling function with the existing air-conditioning system by integrating a sub CE module that shares the refrigerant circulation system. The sub CE module uses the same refrigerant from the main CE module to cool the controller, eliminating the need for a completely separate cooling system while maintaining effective controller temperature control
2Reliability
If a separate cooling system for the controller is added, then the controller can be cooled effectively, but the weight of the cooling system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system for the controller is merged with the air-conditioning system by sharing common components including the refrigerant circulation system, heat exchangers, and control mechanisms. This integration significantly reduces the total weight compared to a completely separate cooling system while maintaining adequate controller cooling capability
3Adaptability or versatility
If connection pipes for refrigerant and coolant are laid for both air-conditioning and controller cooling systems, then both systems can function, but the layout becomes complex inside the engine compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the refrigerant lines and coolant lines into a unified circulation system. The sub CE module for controller cooling shares the same refrigerant circulation paths as the main air-conditioning system, reducing the number of separate pipes needed and simplifying the overall layout in the engine compartment while maintaining full functionality of both cooling functions
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 system efficiently cools the controller, reduces production costs, and improves space utilization by modularizing the components, while preventing noise, vibration, and motion instability, compared to conventional air-conditioning systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first condenser connected to the first compressor through a first refrigerant line and configured to heat-exchange the compressed refrigerant supplied from the first compressor with the coolant supplied inside through the coolant line to be condensed
Implementation Method 2
a first evaporator connected to the first expansion valve through the first refrigerant line, connected to the cooling heat exchanger circulating the coolant through the cooling line, that evaporates the refrigerant supplied from the first expansion valve with the coolant received through the air-conditioning line through the heat exchange
Implementation Method 3
a first compressor configured to compress the refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal management system for a vehicle is provided. The thermal management system f includes a cooling apparatus that circulates a coolant cooled in a radiator through a coolant line to cool a driving device in a vehicle. A main centralized energy (CE) module is connected to the cooling apparatus via the coolant line, selectively heat-exchanges thermal energy generated during a condensation and evaporation of the refrigerant circulating the inside with a coolant, and respectively supplies the coolant of low temperature or high temperature to a cooling heat exchanger or a heating heat exchanger. A sub CE module is connected to the cooling apparatus via the coolant line, selectively heat-exchanges thermal energy generated during a condensation and evaporation of the refrigerant circulating the inside with a coolant, and supplies the coolant of low temperature to a controller provided in the vehicle.