Ram Air Duct Layout for Cooling High Engine Bay Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Components in the engine compartment of vehicles, particularly those situated high or on top of each other, lack access to fresh air, leading to inadequate cooling and increased thermal convection in a tightly packed environment.
Innovation Solution
A ram air duct system is designed with an inlet adjacent to the vehicle's grille to receive high-pressure ambient air, a duct body extending along the hood to direct air towards the dash panel, and a deflector on the dash panel to target higher temperature components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If NACA ducts on the belly pan are used to target low lying components, then low lying components can be cooled, but high components and components on top of one another cannot be cooled
Solution Approach 1:
The air duct system transitions from a two-dimensional planar duct layout to a three-dimensional configuration by routing the duct over the hood and utilizing vertical space. The duct body extends from the front grille, goes over the hood, and terminates at the dash panel, creating multiple outlet positions at different heights and locations to reach components that were previously inaccessible from below.
Solution Approach 2:
The air delivery system is segmented into multiple outlets distributed at different locations and heights within the engine compartment. Instead of a single outlet, the system provides multiple air delivery points including outlets at the dash panel and potentially other locations, allowing different segments of the engine compartment to receive cooled air independently.
2Volume of moving object
If the engine compartment is tightly packaged to reduce vehicle size, then vehicle dimensions are reduced, but air circulation to components is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The air duct utilizes the vertical dimension by routing over the hood and positioning outlets at various heights, effectively using the third dimension to deliver air to components in a compact horizontal space. This allows the system to overcome the limited horizontal air circulation paths in a tightly packaged engine compartment.
3Temperature
If water cooled units are used to cool components, then component cooling is improved, but vehicle cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air cooling system uses the vehicle's own motion to generate the cooling airflow. As the vehicle moves forward, air is naturally drawn through the front grille and pushed by the vehicle's motion itself through the duct system to the components, eliminating the need for additional powered cooling mechanisms or expensive water cooling systems.
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 ram air duct system effectively delivers fresh cooling air to components in the engine compartment, including those that are inaccessible to conventional air cooling systems, thereby reducing component temperatures and enhancing thermal management without the need for expensive water-cooled units.
Implementation Method 1
The inlet receives high pressure ambient air when the vehicle is moving
Implementation Method 2
A body extends from the inlet. The body extends along substantially the entire length of a vehicle hood and terminates adjacent a dash panel of the vehicle. An outlet end of the body directs air to an area toward the dash panel.
Implementation Method 3
The body includes a bend to direct air flow away from the hood
Implementation Method 4
A deflector may be attached to the dash panel. The deflector directs air to higher temperature components.
Data Source
AI summary
A ram air system for a vehicle includes a duct having an inlet positioned adjacent a grille of the vehicle. The inlet receives high pressure ambient air when the vehicle is moving. A body extends from the inlet. The body extends along an entire axial length of a hood of the vehicle and terminates adjacent a dash panel of the vehicle. An outlet at an end of the body directs air to an area past an engine toward the dash panel.