Vehicular Power Conversion Device Airflow Redirection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power conversion devices in railway cars face inefficiencies in cooling due to travel-generated airflow avoiding cooler locations and airflow being heated by earlier-stage coolers, resulting in suboptimal cooling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular power conversion device with coolers arranged in an array and a cooler cover featuring ventilation openings and airflow-receiving plates that redirect travel-generated airflow towards the coolers, ensuring efficient cooling by utilizing cavities above, below, or beside the coolers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If coolers are arranged in the advancement direction of the vehicle to utilize travel-generated airflow, then the cooling device can be simplified without moving parts, but the travel-generated airflow flows so as to avoid the locations of the coolers themselves, resulting in insufficient cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
An airflow-receiving plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the travel-generated airflow and the coolers. This plate actively redirects the airflow that would naturally avoid the coolers, forcing it to flow through the coolers and thereby improving cooling efficiency while maintaining the simplicity of the overall cooling device structure
Solution Approach 2:
The airflow-receiving plate changes the flow direction parameter of the travel-generated airflow. By altering the airflow's trajectory from avoiding the coolers to flowing through them, the system achieves better cooling performance without complex mechanical adjustments
2Device complexity
If coolers are arranged in an array in the advancement direction of the vehicle, then the structure is compact and simple, but the travel-generated airflow that reaches the later-stage coolers has already been heated by the earlier-stage coolers, resulting in reduced cooling efficiency for later-stage coolers
Solution Approach 1:
The airflow-receiving plate introduces a dimensional change in airflow path by redirecting air from the front to flow through the sides and rear of the cooler array. This creates a three-dimensional airflow pattern that allows later-stage coolers to access cooler, undisturbed airflow, thereby maintaining cooling efficiency across all coolers in the array
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
This configuration allows for efficient cooling of semiconductor elements by capturing and directing travel-generated airflow effectively, maintaining high cooling efficiency and preventing overheating of later-stage coolers.
Implementation Method 1
The airflow-receiving plate that is located in the cavity, when travel-generated airflow flows into the cavity from the ventilation opening, changes the direction of the flow of travel-generated airflow to a direction toward the plurality of coolers
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of coolers arranged in an array in an advancement direction of a vehicle, and configured to cool the semiconductor
Implementation Method 3
coolers arranged in an array in an advancement direction of a vehicle, and configured to cool the semiconductor
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular power conversion device is provided with a semiconductor that converts power. The power conversion device is provided with: coolers that are arranged in an array in a vehicle advancement direction and cool the semiconductor; and a cooler cover having the coolers located therein and provided with ventilation openings serving as an intake port and a discharge port for travel-generated airflow. A cavity serving as a passageway for the travel-generated airflow is provided in at least one of above, below, and to the side of the plurality of coolers inside the cooler cover. The ventilation openings are disposed in the vehicle advancement direction from the cavity. The airflow-receiving plate is located in the cavity and, when the travel-generated airflow flows from the ventilation opening into the cavity, changes the direction of the incoming travel-generated airflow to a direction toward the coolers.