Single Cooler Cooling Circuit for Multi-Temperature Vehicle Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling systems for electric and hybrid vehicles require two separate coolant circuits with two coolers to manage different temperature levels, leading to increased material and installation costs, as well as resource wastage since only one circuit is often necessary.
Innovation Solution
A single cooler cooling circuit with a valve arrangement and electronic control module to regulate coolant temperatures by feeding hot coolant from heat generators to the refrigeration machine and cooler in specific ratios, utilizing multi-way valves and bypasses for efficient control and operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If two separate coolant circuits with two coolers are used to manage different temperature levels, then the required coolant temperatures are achieved, but material costs and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two separate coolant circuits into a single integrated circuit that serves multiple temperature levels. The single cooler system with strategically placed bypasses and mixing points can simultaneously provide cooled coolant at different temperatures to multiple heat generators, eliminating the need for two separate coolers and reducing material consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The single cooler is designed to perform multiple functions by providing coolant at different temperature levels to different heat generators simultaneously. The system uses bypasses and flow control mechanisms to distribute coolant appropriately, allowing one cooler to replace what would traditionally require two separate cooling systems.
2Temperature
If two separate coolant circuits with two coolers are used to manage different temperature levels, then the required coolant temperatures are achieved, but installation expenditure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate coolant circuits into one integrated system, reducing installation complexity and expenditure. The single cooler with bypass arrangements requires fewer installation steps, less space, and simpler integration compared to two separate cooler systems, while still achieving the required temperature management for multiple heat generators.
3Temperature
If two separate coolant circuits are used, then different coolant temperatures are provided, but resource wastage occurs since only one circuit is often necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic single cooler system that can adapt its operation based on real-time thermal demands. The bypasses and flow control mechanisms allow the system to dynamically adjust coolant distribution, enabling one cooler to efficiently serve multiple temperature requirements without the resource wastage inherent in having two separate circuits running simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (flow rates, bypass positions, mixing ratios) to provide different coolant temperatures from a single cooler. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system can meet varying thermal demands of different heat generators without requiring multiple fixed cooling circuits, thereby reducing resource consumption.
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 solution reduces material costs and resource wastage by generating multiple coolant temperatures using a single cooler, allowing for efficient thermal management across varying ambient conditions while minimizing the number of required valves.
Implementation Method 1
the hot coolant flows from the two heat generators are fed by the valve arrangement to the refrigerating machine and the cooler in certain ratios
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling circuit for a vehicle includes a single cooler, a refrigeration machine, a first heat-generating device, a second heat-generating device, a coolant pump arrangement configured to pump a coolant, a valve arrangement, and an electronic control module. The first heat-generating device requires the coolant at a first coolant temperature level. The second het-generating device requires the coolant at a second coolant temperature level. The valve arrangement is configured to supply the coolant from the first and second heat-generating devices to the refrigeration machine and/or to the single cooler. The electronic control module is designed to control a temperature of the coolant at coolant inlets of the first and second heat-generating devices by varying flow rates of the coolant through the refrigeration machine and/or the single cooler.