Predictive Vehicle Thermal Management for Transient Heat Loads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current thermal management systems for vehicles lack the ability to predict and adapt to transient and nominal thermal needs of vehicle components and passenger compartments, leading to inefficient energy distribution and temperature regulation, especially in varying external conditions.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system that incorporates prediction means to forecast the availability of thermal energy and needs, using data from user habits, vehicle state, and environmental conditions, and control means to dynamically distribute energy through actuators like pumps, compressors, and valves, optimizing operating modes for user comfort, battery health, and external conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If thermal management systems use conventional reactive control without prediction, then the system structure remains simple, but the system cannot adapt to transient thermal needs and energy distribution is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using prediction means to forecast future thermal states of vehicle components and passenger compartment before they actually occur. The system predicts transient thermal needs and proactively adjusts thermal management strategies, allowing the system to prepare and respond to thermal demands before they manifest, thereby improving adaptability without requiring complex reactive control structures
2Speed
If the system quickly conditions the passenger compartment during transient conditions, then passenger comfort is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses prediction means to forecast future thermal conditions and passenger compartment temperature needs. By predicting transient thermal demands in advance, the system can plan energy-efficient conditioning strategies that achieve quick temperature adjustment without excessive energy consumption, balancing speed and energy use through proactive thermal management
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts thermal management parameters based on predicted conditions, including conditioning speed, energy distribution, and thermal component priorities. By changing operational parameters according to predictions rather than reacting to current states, the system achieves fast conditioning when needed while optimizing energy consumption through intelligent parameter adjustment
3Reliability
If the system maintains optimal temperature for all vehicle components simultaneously, then component reliability is improved, but energy distribution becomes inefficient during transient conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The prediction means forecasts future thermal states of different vehicle components, allowing the control system to prioritize thermal management for components that will need conditioning soon. This proactive approach ensures critical components maintain optimal temperatures for reliability while avoiding unnecessary energy expenditure on components that don't require immediate thermal attention
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by selectively managing thermal conditions for specific vehicle components based on predictions rather than uniformly conditioning all components. The control system identifies which components require thermal management and applies energy only where needed, maintaining reliability for critical components while improving overall energy distribution efficiency
4Productivity
If the system uses complex prediction and control algorithms, then thermal management optimization is improved, but computational load and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The prediction means performs computational analysis in advance to forecast thermal states, allowing the control system to prepare optimization strategies before thermal demands occur. This proactive computation reduces real-time processing requirements, maintaining high thermal management optimization while minimizing processing time during actual thermal events
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 effectively adapts to both transient and nominal thermal demands, optimizing energy use, maintaining component and passenger compartment temperatures within desired ranges, reducing the impact of external conditions, and extending battery life while improving passenger comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger E1 capable of exchanging heat with a refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
a second heat exchanger E2 capable of exchanging heat with air
Implementation Method 3
a third heat exchanger E3 capable of exchanging heat with air
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention concerns a vehicle heat management system, comprising: - at least one calorie and/or frigorie storage (S1, S2), - at least one element of the vehicle to be heated or to be cooled, - at least one source of calories or frigories, - detection means capable of detecting whether calories or frigories are available at one of the sources, - monitoring and control means for distributing the calories or frigories available at the sources to the elements to be heated or to be cooled, depending on the transitory and nominal needs, characterised in that it comprises prediction means capable of producing at least one prediction aiming to determine: - if calories or frigories will be available later, at one of the sources and/or, - if a need for calories or frigories will exist later at the one of the elements to be heated or to be cooled.