Reactor Cooling Device With Rotating Splash Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reactor cooling systems in vehicle drive units are complex and costly due to the use of lubricants splashed via differential and deceleration gears, which complicate the structure and increase manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A reactor cooling device where a rotating body, partially immersed in coolant, overlaps with the reactor in a selected turning radius direction, allowing coolant splashed by rotation to directly contact and cool the reactor through a defined coolant flow passage between the reactor's outer surface and the housing's inner wall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If lubricant is splashed via differential and deceleration gears to cool the reactor, then cooling function is achieved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function from the complex gear-based lubricant splashing system and creates a dedicated, simplified coolant circulation system with a pump, reservoir, and direct flow paths to reactor surfaces, thereby achieving the same cooling effect with reduced structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is segmented into distinct functional components: coolant reservoir, pump, flow passages, and cooling contacts at different reactor locations (top, bottom, side surfaces), allowing independent optimization of each component and simplifying manufacturing compared to an integrated gear-based system
2Temperature
If lubricant is splashed via differential and deceleration gears to cool the reactor, then cooling function is achieved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the cooling function from the drive mechanism, using a simple pump-driven coolant circulation system instead of relying on the complex differential and deceleration gear assembly, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining effective cooling
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a straightforward coolant circulation approach with basic components (pump, reservoir, passages) that are simpler and less expensive to manufacture than the precision gear-based lubricant delivery system, accepting that the coolant may need periodic replacement rather than using expensive reusable lubricant
3Temperature
If coolant flow passage is defined between inner wall surface and reactor outer surface, then cooling efficiency is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the housing structure with the cooling system by defining coolant flow passages within the housing's inner wall surface, eliminating the need for separate cooling channels and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining efficient heat transfer
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions: structural containment and integrated coolant distribution, with the inner wall surface acting as both a structural element and a cooling channel, thereby reducing the number of separate components needed
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 simplifies the structure, reduces costs, and efficiently cools the reactor by ensuring continuous coolant contact, enhancing cooling efficiency while maintaining a compact design.
Implementation Method 1
a reactor cooling device that causes a part of a coolant splashed by the rotation of a rotating body to be in contact with a reactor to thereby cool the reactor
Data Source
AI summary
A reactor cooling device includes a housing, a reactor arranged in the housing, and a rotating body which is rotationally located below the reactor in the housing. The rotating body and the reactor are located so as to at least partially overlap with each other in a previously selected one of turning radius directions of the rotating body. A part of the rotating body is immersed in the coolant stored in the housing. The reactor cooling device is configured to cause a part of the coolant splashed by the rotation of the rotating body to be in contact with the reactor to thereby cool the reactor.