Thermal Energy Administration System for Electric Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
The limited driving range of electric vehicles due to battery energy depletion is a significant concern, leading to 'range anxiety' among potential buyers, and existing systems waste thermal energy, reducing battery life and vehicle efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A thermal energy administration system that utilizes a closed circuit air conditioning system with multiple thermal energy exchanging devices and sub-circuits to efficiently transfer thermal energy between electrical devices, allowing excess heat or coldness to be used for heating or cooling, thereby extending the vehicle's range and battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If thermal energy from electrical devices is wasted to surroundings, then device cooling is achieved, but energy efficiency decreases and battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures waste thermal energy from electrical devices (motor, power controller, battery) that would otherwise be discarded to the surroundings, and converts this harmful heat into a useful resource for heating the vehicle cabin or preheating the battery, thereby eliminating energy waste and reducing battery power consumption
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding thermal energy from electrical devices to the environment, the system recovers this waste heat through heat exchangers and redirects it to heat requiring units such as the cabin heating system or battery preheating system, maximizing energy utilization
2Reliability
If separate cooling systems are provided for electrical devices and air conditioning, then device cooling is ensured, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the cooling functions for electrical devices and the air conditioning system into a single integrated thermal management system. The same cooling medium circulates through heat exchangers that can cool electrical devices, and the same refrigerant cycle provides both device cooling and cabin air conditioning, eliminating the need for separate cooling systems
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple purposes: it cools electrical devices through dedicated heat exchangers, provides cabin air conditioning through the evaporator, and can transfer thermal energy between different components. The single cooling circuit performs multiple thermal management tasks that would traditionally require separate systems
3Use of energy by moving object
If thermal energy is transferred between electrical devices and air conditioning system, then energy efficiency increases, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal management system is segmented into functional modules: a cooling circuit with compressor and condenser, a sub-circuit with heat exchangers for electrical devices, and a cabin air conditioning system with evaporator. These modular segments are connected through a unified cooling medium circulation system, allowing flexible thermal energy transfer while maintaining manageable system complexity through clear functional separation
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 postpones the need for battery recharging by utilizing thermal energy from one device to another, increasing the driving range and reducing energy consumption, while also simplifying the vehicle's design and reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a third thermal energy exchanging device which is arranged to transfer thermal energy between cooling medium in the sub-circuit and one or more electrical devices of the electrical vehicle
Implementation Method 2
a first thermal energy exchanging device and a second thermal energy exchanging device... arranged to transfer thermal energy between cooling medium in the sub-circuit and one or more electrical devices
Implementation Method 3
the sub-circuit is adapted to circulate the cooling medium in a loop through the third thermal energy exchanging device and one of the first and the second thermal energy exchanging devices
Data Source
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AI summary
A thermal energy administration system ( 100 ) for an electrical vehicle comprising an electrical motor for propelling the vehicle, comprising a heat pump air conditioning system which is arranged to heat one or more heat requiring units ( 116, 118 ), and/or to cool one or more cooling requiring units ( 116, 118 ), wherein at least one of the heat requiring unit(s) and the cooling requiring unit(s) is an electrical device of the electrical vehicle.