Thermal Management System with Merging Element for Electronic Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal management systems for energy storage devices, such as batteries, are inadequate in efficiently managing heat dissipation, as they often rely on direct exhaust of hot air into the atmosphere, which may not allow for optimal temperature regulation or safety.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system that utilizes a housing with displacement units to circulate a first flow of air within the device and merge it with a cooler second flow before expulsion, ensuring the emitted air is within a safe temperature range, using a merging element and control components to monitor and adjust mass flow rates for effective cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If hot air is exhausted directly into the atmosphere via manifold venting, then heat dissipation is achieved, but temperature regulation precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat exchanger as an intermediary component between the battery thermal management system and the atmosphere. Instead of directly venting hot air, the system uses the heat exchanger to transfer heat from the air to a coolant fluid, enabling precise temperature control while still achieving effective heat dissipation.
2Temperature
If heat exchangers are used for thermal management, then temperature control is improved, but heat dissipation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cooling by circulating coolant through the heat exchanger before air is exhausted. This pre-cooling action reduces the thermal load on the atmosphere and allows the heat exchanger to operate more efficiently, improving overall heat dissipation performance while maintaining temperature control.
3Device complexity
If conventional manifold venting is used, then device complexity is reduced, but thermal management effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a heat transfer device, a temperature control mechanism, and a safety component. By integrating these functions into a single component, the system achieves effective thermal management without proportionally increasing complexity.
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 maintains the internal temperature of energy storage devices within a desired range, extending their operational time and ensuring safe environmental emissions by efficiently managing heat dissipation through controlled fluid dynamics and temperature regulation.
Implementation Method 1
A merging element merges the first flow with the second flow
Data Source
AI summary
A system for an electronic device includes a housing having one or more walls that define an internal region. An outlet port is fluidically coupled to the internal region of the housing, which allows emission of a fluid from the internal region of the housing as a first flow at a first temperature. A merging element, fluidically coupled to the outlet port, merges the first flow with a second flow, which has a second temperature that is less than the first temperature.