Paver Heat Pump Thermal Control for Hopper and Screed Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Paver work machines face challenges in maintaining optimal operating temperatures, especially in extreme weather conditions, which can affect the quality of paving material and compaction.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system incorporating a heat pump with a thermal energy circuit that circulates a medium through an evaporator, compressor, condenser, and expansion device, along with a controller to manage heat transfer to the screed and hopper.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a battery is used as the prime mover or supplemental heating is provided in all-electric and hybrid paver work machines, then energy consumption increases, but thermal management capability improves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures waste heat from the battery cooling system and redirects it to heat the paving material. The thermal management system uses a heat pump to transfer heat from the battery coolant (which would otherwise be wasted) to the paving material in the hopper, converting a harmful waste product into a beneficial heating source. This resolves the contradiction by improving thermal management without proportionally increasing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal management system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it cools the battery pack while also heating the paving material. The heat pump system and thermal exchange mechanism enable the same system to perform both cooling and heating operations, addressing thermal management needs for both components without requiring separate systems, thus improving overall energy efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If supplemental heating is provided to thermally manage paving material, then compaction quality improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers waste heat from battery cooling operations and uses it to provide supplemental heating for the paving material. This eliminates the need for dedicated heating energy consumption while maintaining the thermal management required for proper compaction quality. The heat pump transfers thermal energy that would otherwise be wasted into the paving material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the battery cooling function with the paving material heating function into a single integrated thermal management system. By combining these two previously separate functions, the system achieves compaction quality improvement without the additional energy consumption that would result from a standalone heating system.
3Reliability
If extreme temperatures are encountered, then paving material quality deteriorates, but thermal management system operation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal management system is designed to handle both heating and cooling operations using a single integrated platform. The heat pump can operate in reverse to provide heating when ambient temperatures are low, and the same system manages battery thermal regulation. This multi-functionality maintains paving material quality across extreme temperature conditions without requiring multiple separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the battery's own thermal characteristics to serve the paving material heating needs. During battery operation, heat is generated that can be captured and transferred to the paving material, allowing the system to self-regulate thermal conditions without requiring external heating sources, thus managing complexity while maintaining reliability.
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 manages thermal energy, maintaining consistent paving material temperatures and improving compaction quality, while also optimizing energy consumption in hybrid and all-electric paver work machines.
Implementation Method 1
The evaporator is positioned within the thermal energy circuit to receive the medium from the expansion device and is operable to transfer heat to the medium
Implementation Method 2
The condenser is operable to desorb heat form the medium and adapted to transfer heat desorbed from the medium to one or more the hopper or the screed
Implementation Method 3
The condenser is operable to desorb heat form the medium
Implementation Method 4
The compressor is positioned within the thermal energy circuit to receive the medium from the evaporator and is operable to compress and circulate the medium through the thermal energy circuit
Implementation Method 5
The expansion device is positioned within the thermal energy circuit to receive the medium from the condenser and is operable to control a pressure of the medium in the thermal energy circuit
Implementation Method 6
The heat pump system may further comprise of a pump circulating a heating fluid through a heating fluid circuit, between the condenser and either the screed, the hopper, or both
Data Source
AI summary
A paver work machine comprises of a hopper, a screed, a thermal manage system with a heat pump, and a controller. The hopper receives and distributes paving material, and the screed levels the paving material on the ground surface. The thermal management system includes a thermal energy circuit for circulating a medium through an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion device. The compressor receives the medium from the evaporator and is operable to compress and circulate the medium through the thermal energy circuit. The evaporator receives the medium from the expansion device and is operable to transfer heat to the medium. The condenser is operable to desorb heat form the medium and adapted to transfer heat desorbed from the medium to one or more the hopper or the screed. A controller controls heat transfer between the condenser and one or more of the screed and the hopper.