Rotary Coolant Control Valve for Compact Variable Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coolant control valves (CCVs) for battery electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles face challenges in providing compact designs that offer continuous variable coolant flow control, which is essential for efficient temperature management of powertrain components.
Innovation Solution
A coolant control valve (CCV) design featuring a rotary valve body actuated by an electric motor, with a movable seal and force generator, allowing continuous angular positioning and orthogonal seal movement, enabling variable coolant flow through multiple outlets arranged in opposed configurations, and utilizing a compact design to reduce packaging space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a compact design is used to reduce packaging space, then the volume of the coolant control valve is reduced, but achieving continuous variable coolant flow control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a rotary valve body with continuously variable angular positioning capability, allowing dynamic adjustment of coolant flow rates. The electric motor actuator enables the valve body to rotate to any angular position within a continuous range, providing adaptable flow control in a compact form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes a rotary motion mechanism where the valve body rotates about an axis perpendicular to the coolant flow direction. This dimensional approach allows continuous flow variation through angular positioning rather than linear movement, achieving compact design with full adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a rotary valve body with continuous angular positioning is used, then continuous variable coolant flow control is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical flow control mechanisms with an electric motor actuator that directly rotates the valve body. This substitution simplifies the overall device by using electrical control instead of intricate mechanical linkages, reducing device complexity while maintaining continuous variable flow control capability.
3Reliability
If multiple seals are arranged in opposed configurations, then sealing reliability is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sealing function into multiple independent seal elements arranged in opposed configurations. Each seal handles a portion of the sealing requirement, and their independent arrangement allows for modular manufacturing and assembly, reducing the overall manufacturing precision burden while improving sealing reliability through redundancy.
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 CCV achieves continuous variable coolant flow control, optimizing temperature management in powertrain components while minimizing space requirements, thus enhancing the efficiency and packaging flexibility of cooling systems in vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
the actuator includes an electric motor configured to move or rotate the RVB to any one of an angular position within a continuous range of angular positions
Implementation Method 2
A movable seal is disposed within the first annular groove and can move along a second axis arranged orthogonal to the first axis to sealingly engage a spherical segment of the RVB
Implementation Method 3
The force generator is disposed within the first annular groove. The force generator is forcibly engaged with the seal housing and the movable seal
Data Source
AI summary
A coolant control valve is provided that includes an actuator, a rotary valve body, a valve housing, a seal housing, and a movable seal. The rotary valve body is rotatably actuated by the actuator and includes at least one fluid opening. The movable seal is arranged within an annular groove of the seal housing and is: i) sealingly engaged with the annular groove, and ii) forcibly sealingly engaged with the rotary valve body via a force generator. The force generator is arranged radially adjacently to the movable seal within the annular groove.