Electric Drive Power Wiring Cooling via Merged Refrigeration Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hybrid vehicles face inefficiencies due to heat generation in electric components, leading to overheating and decreased energetic efficiency, which existing cooling systems struggle to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A compact cooling system thermally coupled to the insulating jackets and heads of electric wires, utilizing a combination of heat exchangers and a refrigeration circuit with a compression refrigeration cycle to efficiently remove heat from power wirings and other electric components, improving thermal management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a cooling system is added to cool electric components, then temperature control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling of power wiring with the cooling of electric components by routing the cooling circuit through both elements. The cooling circuit includes a first cooling element for the power wiring and a second cooling element for the electric components, allowing a single cooling system to serve multiple thermal management needs simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling circuit is designed to perform multiple functions: it cools the power wiring through the first cooling element and cools the electric components through the second cooling element. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate cooling systems for different components, reducing overall system complexity.
2Loss of energy
If power wiring is cooled to reduce electrical resistance, then energy efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates power wiring cooling into the existing electric component cooling system. The cooling circuit is configured to flow through both the power wiring and electric components, combining two cooling functions into a single system that reduces energy losses while maintaining manageable complexity.
3Volume of moving object
If a compact cooling system is designed, then space utilization is improved, but cooling effectiveness may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling elements are nested within or adjacent to the components they cool. The first cooling element is positioned around or within the power wiring, and the second cooling element is integrated with the electric components, creating a compact nested arrangement that maximizes cooling effectiveness in limited space.
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 effectively reduces operating temperatures of electric components, decreasing electrical resistance and power losses, while maintaining a compact design that efficiently cools both the power wirings and other critical components.
Implementation Method 1
A compact cooling system thermally coupled to the insulating jackets and heads of electric wires, utilizing a combination of heat exchangers and a refrigeration circuit with a compression refrigeration cycle to efficiently remove heat from power wirings and other electric components
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a combination of heat exchangers and a refrigeration circuit with a compression refrigeration cycle to efficiently remove heat from power wirings and other electric components
Implementation Method 3
the temperature of the electric components must remain relatively low both in order to avoid jeopardizing ('burning') the plastic material insulating elements and because the electrical resistance of metal conductors linearly increases as the temperature increases
Data Source
AI summary
A road vehicle with an electric drive comprising: at least one pair of drive wheels; a reversible electric machine, which can be connected to the drive wheels; an electronic power converter, which controls the electric machine; an electric energy storage system, which is connected to the electronic power converter; first power wirings comprising at least two first electric wires, which connect the electric machine to the electronic power converter; and second power wirings comprising at least two second electric wires, which connect the electronic power converter to the storage system; and a cooling system, which is thermally coupled to at least one power wiring in order to remove heat from the power wiring.