Separable Vehicle Unit Cooling via Cabin Fluid Heat Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous driving vehicles with separable and connectable vehicle cabin and traveling units face challenges in providing effective heat dissipation for the drive device, especially due to dimensional limitations that restrict the installation of heat dissipation mechanisms in the traveling unit.
Innovation Solution
A control device that determines the connection between the vehicle cabin unit and the traveling unit and supplies a fluid, such as clean water, through a designated path to absorb heat generated by the drive device, utilizing a jacket in the traveling unit to cool the drive motor and a circulation system to reuse the heated water for energy savings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat dissipation mechanism is installed in the traveling unit, then heat dissipation effectiveness is improved, but the size of the traveling unit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat dissipation function is extracted from the traveling unit and relocated to the vehicle cabin unit. The traveling unit's drive device heat is transferred via fluid circulation to the vehicle cabin unit where heat dissipation occurs, allowing the traveling unit to maintain compact dimensions while achieving effective heat dissipation through the separate vehicle cabin unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid circulation system serves multiple functions: it cools the drive device in the traveling unit, provides heating to the vehicle cabin unit using the absorbed heat, and enables heat dissipation without requiring dedicated heat dissipation equipment in the traveling unit. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the heat management system space-efficient.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the vehicle cabin unit and traveling unit are separable and connectable, then adaptability is improved, but heat dissipation becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The heat dissipation system is designed to be dynamic and adaptable to the connection state. When units are connected, the fluid circulation system operates to transfer and dissipate heat. When units are separated, the system automatically adjusts its operation. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain heat dissipation capability while preserving the separable and connectable nature of the units.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid circulation system acts as an intermediary that bridges the thermal management needs of separable units. It enables heat transfer between the traveling unit and vehicle cabin unit when connected, while not interfering with the separability of the units. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing heat dissipation capability without constraining the adaptability of the separable unit design.
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 approach accelerates heat dissipation for the drive device without increasing the size of the traveling unit, while also utilizing the heat generated to save energy for heating and air conditioning, thereby optimizing energy usage and reducing the need for additional heat dissipation devices.
Implementation Method 1
supplying the fluid in the first path to a second unit side to absorb heat generated from the drive device
Implementation Method 2
utilizing the heat generated to save energy for heating and air conditioning
Data Source
AI summary
A control device includes a controller that executes determining a connection between a first unit that has a boarding space which allows a user to board and is provided with a predetermined facility and that is provided with a first path through which a fluid used in the predetermined facility passes and a second unit that is configured to be separated from and connected to the first unit and that has a drive device of a vehicle that is formed by being connected to the first unit, and supplying the fluid in the first path to a second unit side to absorb heat generated from the drive device.