Independent Cooler Fans for Soil Compactor Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Self-propelled construction devices, such as soil compactors, face challenges in achieving fuel-saving operations while maintaining a compact design, particularly in managing cooling systems efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of independent cooler fans for charge air and coolant/hydraulic oil cooling systems, with adjustable fan drives and a pre-assembled assembly that includes additional components like an air conditioning condenser and exhaust gas treatment units, allows for optimized cooling and reduced energy consumption by only operating fans when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a common cooling system is used for both charge air and coolant/hydraulic oil, then the system structure is simplified, but fuel consumption increases due to unnecessary fan operation
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two independent subsystems: a first cooling system for charge air with a first cooler fan, and a second cooling system for coolant and hydraulic oil with a second cooler fan. This segmentation allows each fan to operate independently based on its specific cooling requirements, preventing unnecessary fan operation and reducing fuel consumption while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design
2Reliability
If the second cooler fan is operated continuously to ensure adequate cooling, then cooling reliability is improved, but fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second cooler fan is equipped with a hydraulic motor drive that allows dynamic control of fan operation. The fan can be activated or deactivated based on real-time cooling requirements, such as ambient temperature conditions or engine load, ensuring reliable cooling when needed while avoiding unnecessary operation and fuel consumption during conditions where cooling is not required
3Ease of operation
If the first cooler fan is driven by power take-off from the diesel engine, then the fan operation is synchronized with engine operation, but energy efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The first cooler fan is driven by a power take-off from the diesel engine equipped with a viscous coupling that enables dynamic torque transmission. This allows the fan to operate in synchronization with the engine during high-load conditions when cooling demand is highest, while automatically reducing fan load during low-engine-load conditions, thereby maintaining operational reliability while improving energy efficiency compared to direct mechanical coupling
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 enables fuel-saving operation by minimizing unnecessary fan operation, reducing load on cooling lines, and improving maintenance accessibility, while maintaining a compact design and clear operator visibility.
Implementation Method 1
The output of the first cooling fan can be adjusted by using a coupling, in particular a viscous coupling. This makes it possible to vary the energy drawn from the power take-off of the diesel engine according to the cooling capacity required by the first cooling assembly.
Implementation Method 2
a first cooler arrangement for cooling charge air and a second cooler arrangement for cooling coolant and/or hydraulic oil
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
A self-propelled construction device, in particular a soil compactor, comprises a turbocharged diesel drive unit (20) having a first cooler assembly (38) for cooling charge air and a second cooler assembly (40) for cooling cooling liquid and/or hydraulic fluid, wherein a first cooler fan (46) is associated with the first cooler assembly (38) and a second cooler fan (48) is associated with the second cooler assembly (40) and the first cooler fan (46) and the second cooler fan (48) can be operated substantially independently of each other.