Passive Cooling Surface With Radiative Regions For ECU Heat Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic control units (ECUs) in automobiles face increased thermal demands due to additional components and proximity to the engine, leading to potential temperature exceedance and functionality issues, with existing cooling solutions increasing weight and size.
Innovation Solution
A passive cooling apparatus featuring a surface with regions of different thermal radiation patterns, such as contrasting colors or shapes, to enhance air convection and turbulence, effectively dissipating heat without significant space or material addition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If liquid cooling systems with tubes or cavities are used, then cooling performance is improved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical liquid cooling system with a passive radiative cooling surface that uses thermal radiation and air convection. The surface features regions with different thermal radiation properties (e.g., different colors or materials) that create temperature differences to drive natural air convection, eliminating the need for liquid coolant circulation systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling surface operates autonomously by utilizing natural thermal radiation and air convection currents. The contrasting thermal radiation regions self-generate the temperature differences needed to drive air flow across the surface, requiring no external power source or active control mechanisms.
2Loss of energy
If cooling fins are added to increase surface area, then heat dissipation is improved, but weight and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating specific regions on the cooling surface with different thermal radiation properties (e.g., different colors or materials). These localized regions with contrasting thermal emissions are distributed across the surface to generate temperature differences that drive air convection, enhancing heat dissipation without requiring additional surface area or structural additions.
3Volume of moving object
If compact housing design is used to reduce size, then space requirements are reduced, but cooling capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal radiation parameters of the housing surface by incorporating regions with different radiative properties (e.g., different colors or materials with varying emissivity). This parameter modification enables the compact surface to generate sufficient temperature differences for effective air convection and heat dissipation, maintaining cooling capability despite reduced housing volume.
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 improved heat dissipation with reduced space and material requirements, maintaining or enhancing cooling performance in compact electronic control units.
Implementation Method 1
a surface (3) with at least two regions (4, 5) each of which cause different thermal radiation
Implementation Method 2
which leads consequently to air convection and turbulence between those different radiations
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The invention relates to an apparatus for passive cooling comprising a surface (3) with at least two regions (4, 5) each of which cause different thermal radiation.