Two-Port Hydrodynamic Heater for Low-Load Engine Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automotive heating systems using engine cooling fluid as a heat source experience delays in achieving desired air temperatures, especially in cold conditions, and may not provide sufficient heat under low load engine conditions or extremely cold ambient temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A two-port hydrodynamic heater is introduced, which includes a stator and rotor defining a hydrodynamic chamber for heating fluid. This heater can be integrated into the automotive engine cooling system to provide primary or supplemental heat, and it includes inlet and outlet fluid metering devices to control the flow of heated fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If engine cooling fluid is used as a heat source for the heating system, then the heating system can provide heat for the passenger compartment, but there is a significant delay in achieving desired air temperatures when the engine is first started or operating under low load conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into two independent heat sources: the traditional engine cooling fluid heat exchanger and the new hydrodynamic heater. This allows the system to operate one or both heat sources independently, enabling the hydrodynamic heater to provide immediate heating without waiting for engine cooling fluid to reach operating temperature, thus resolving the time delay issue while maintaining overall system productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrodynamic heater acts as an intermediary heating device that can be activated independently of the engine cooling system. It provides a bridge solution during engine warm-up or low-load conditions by generating heat through hydrodynamic action on the cooling fluid, thereby eliminating the waiting period and improving heating efficiency without compromising the primary heat source
2Productivity
If the engine operates under low load conditions or in very cold ambient conditions, then the engine generates less heat for the cooling fluid, but the heating system still needs to provide adequate heat to the passenger compartment
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrodynamic heater is merged with the engine cooling system by using the cooling fluid as its working medium. The device combines hydrodynamic energy input with the cooling fluid to generate heat, and this heated fluid is then fed back into the cooling system to enhance the overall heat available for the passenger compartment, thereby ensuring adequate heat supply even when engine-generated heat is insufficient
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrodynamic heater utilizes the engine's own cooling fluid as its operating medium, turning the cooling system into a dual-purpose system that both cools the engine and provides heat for the passenger compartment. By using readily available cooling fluid and hydrodynamic energy from the engine drive, the system provides supplemental heat without requiring external resources, ensuring adequate heating under all engine load conditions
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 two-port hydrodynamic heater efficiently generates a stream of heated fluid, reducing the time to achieve desired air temperatures in the vehicle and ensuring adequate heat supply even under low load engine conditions or cold ambient temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
a rotor and a stator positioned adjacent one another and together defining a hydrodynamic chamber operable for heating a fluid
Implementation Method 2
The rotor is mounted to a drive shaft and rotatable relative to the stator
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A hydrodynamic heater includes an inlet port for receiving a stream of fluid from an external source and an outlet port for discharging a stream of heated fluid from the hydrodynamic heater. A hydrodynamic chamber operates to selectively heat fluid present within an interior region of the hydrodynamic chamber. The hydrodynamic chamber includes an inlet port and an outlet port located along an interior wall of the hydrodynamic chamber. The hydrodynamic chamber inlet port is fluidly connected to the inlet port of the hydrodynamic heater. The hydrodynamic heater includes a fluid metering device having an inlet fluidly connected to the hydrodynamic heater inlet port and an outlet fluidly connected to the inlet port of the hydrodynamic chamber.