Test Bench Cooling Circuit with Bypass Flow Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing test bench systems for internal combustion engines require large and complex heating systems due to the excessive amount of cooling water, which is not representative of vehicle conditions, leading to inefficiencies and increased equipment complexity.

Innovation Solution

A dual-circuit system with a bypass line and a control system that dynamically adjusts the flow of the useful medium based on characteristic diagrams, allowing for variable distribution and additional conditioning, coupled with a pump to manage pressure losses, enabling precise temperature control with reduced equipment complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a large amount of cooling water is used in the test bench cooling circuit, then the cooling capacity is improved, but the heating system size and complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling capacityVSAvoidheating system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling circuit is segmented into two separate circuits: a first cooling circuit with a first heat exchanger and a second cooling circuit with a second heat exchanger. This segmentation allows independent control and optimization of each circuit, enabling the system to handle large cooling water volumes without requiring a proportionally large heating system, thus resolving the contradiction between cooling capacity and heating system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A bypass line with a bypass valve is introduced as an intermediary element that allows cooling water to be diverted around the engine. This intermediary pathway enables flexible flow distribution, allowing the system to maintain adequate cooling capacity while reducing the amount of water that requires heating, thereby decreasing heating system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If a large heating system is used to heat the excessive cooling water, then the temperature control capability is improved, but the equipment complexity and size increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature control capabilityVSAvoidheating system size
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The heating function is segmented across two separate heat exchangers in parallel circuits rather than requiring one large centralized heating system. This allows the heating load to be distributed and optimized, maintaining temperature control capability while reducing the size and weight of individual heating components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The bypass line allows partial circulation of cooling water to be diverted away from the engine, meaning not all cooling water requires heating. This partial action approach maintains adequate temperature control for the engine while reducing the total heating capacity required, thereby decreasing heating system size

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Temperature

If the cooling water volume is increased beyond vehicle conditions, then the cooling effectiveness is improved, but the representative accuracy of vehicle conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidrepresentative accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The bypass valve provides dynamic flow control, allowing the system to adjust the proportion of cooling water circulating through the engine versus the bypass line. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the system to maintain effective cooling with larger water volumes while simulating various vehicle operating conditions, thus preserving representative accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 allows for efficient temperature tracking and reduced equipment size, enabling steeper temperature gradients and compensating for test bench-induced losses, thus improving the testing efficiency with a smaller heating system.

Implementation Method 1

a device for influencing the flow of the useful medium, preferably a pump, is used in the return between the internal combustion engine and the device for variable distribution of the flow of the useful medium

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPump: Pump

Implementation Method 2

a device for additional conditioning, which is a heating device, is used in the circuit formed by the bypass line, the inlet and the return

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

the device for variable distribution of the flow of the useful medium is coupled to a control system that divides the flow on the basis of maps

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow control:

Data Source

PatentEP2573538B1Device for supplying a combustion engine on a test bench with at least one usable medium
Publication Date: 2017.07.19 AVL LIST GMBH
  • EP2573538B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The device has an upstream conditioning system (8) for temperature conditioned utilizable mediums. A bypass pipe (6) is connected with a supply line (4) and a return line (5). A device (7) for variable division of flow of the utilizable mediums is provided between the return line and the bypass pipe, and connected with a control system. A supplementary heating device (10) is provided in the bypass pipe.