Vehicle Thermal Management with Serial Airflow Heat Exchangers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional automotive air-to-liquid heat exchange systems face limitations in heat transfer efficiency due to reduced air capacity after passing through HVAC condensers, and styling and packaging constraints restrict the placement of additional heat exchangers in passenger vehicles, limiting effective heat rejection from prime movers and electronics.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system that uses a single air stream to serially cool an air-cooled HVAC heat exchanger, an electronics heat exchanger, and a prime mover heat exchanger, with a controller regulating heat rejection based on vehicle operating parameters, including the use of a refrigeration condenser and a flow-through heat exchanger connected to the exterior for enhanced heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air flows serially through HVAC condenser and then through prime mover and electronics heat exchangers, then HVAC system operates efficiently, but the heated air has reduced capacity to absorb heat, limiting heat transfer from downstream heat exchangers
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically controls the HVAC condenser's heat rejection based on real-time sensor data from prime mover and electronics heat exchangers. When these components require more cooling, the controller reduces HVAC heat rejection to preserve the air stream's heat absorption capacity, creating a dynamic balance between HVAC efficiency and overall thermal management needs.
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature sensors positioned at the outlets of the prime mover and electronics heat exchangers provide continuous feedback to the controller. This feedback loop enables the system to monitor thermal conditions and adjust HVAC condenser operation accordingly, ensuring optimal heat transfer capacity is maintained in the air stream for downstream cooling requirements.
2Loss of energy
If additional heat exchangers are mounted on the roof of a vehicle, then heat rejection capacity is improved, but styling and packaging constraints are violated
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple heat rejection functions into a single integrated thermal management architecture. By using one common air stream to service the HVAC condenser, prime mover heat exchanger, and electronics heat exchanger in series, the design eliminates the need for separate mounting locations and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining effective heat rejection from all components.
Solution Approach 2:
The single air stream serves multiple heat exchangers simultaneously, making the cooling system universal in its application. This multi-functional approach allows one air intake and distribution system to handle thermal management for HVAC, powertrain, and electronic components, thereby avoiding additional roof-mounted heat exchangers and preserving vehicle styling and packaging integrity.
3Device complexity
If a single air stream is used to cool multiple heat exchangers, then system complexity is reduced, but heat transfer efficiency decreases due to reduced air capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic control of the HVAC condenser's heat rejection rate based on real-time thermal conditions. By adjusting the condenser's operation in response to sensor feedback from downstream heat exchangers, the air stream's heat absorption capacity is preserved when needed, maintaining high heat transfer efficiency throughout the serial cooling process while using only a single air stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller modifies operational parameters of the HVAC condenser, specifically controlling the amount of heat rejected to the air stream based on sensed temperatures from prime mover and electronics heat exchangers. This parameter adjustment ensures that the air stream maintains adequate heat absorption capacity to effectively cool downstream components, optimizing overall heat transfer efficiency despite using a single air stream.
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 system effectively manages heat rejection, protecting both mechanical and electronic components from heat-related failures while allowing for downsized heat exchangers and maintaining vehicle functionality, even with a single cooling air inlet, by dynamically controlling heat transfer and compressor operation.
Implementation Method 1
air-to-liquid heat exchangers became the dominant mechanism for rejecting waste heat from powertrains
Implementation Method 2
air-to-liquid heat exchange systems
Implementation Method 3
the HVAC heat exchanger may include a refrigeration condenser
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal management system for an automotive vehicle includes air cooled heat exchangers for an HVAC system, for a prime mover, and for various electronics componentry. All heat exchangers are cooled by a common air stream flowing from the ambient. The amount of heat imparted to the air stream through the HVAC system is controlled as to permit optimal cooling of the vehicle electronics and vehicle prime mover.