Transformer Heating Element for Low-Voltage Vehicle Air Heating
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle heating elements require high DC voltages for operation, necessitating large and costly insulation measures for personal and fire protection, which is undesirable.
Innovation Solution
A heating element design that uses a transformer to convert high DC voltage from a vehicle electrical system into a low AC voltage, where the secondary winding of the transformer serves as the heating conductor, allowing for compact and lightweight construction without the need for extensive insulation, and enabling adjustable heating output through the selection of winding ratios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high DC voltage is applied to heating elements, then heating performance is achieved, but insulation measures are required which increase size and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the electrical parameters by converting high DC voltage to low AC voltage through a transformer. The heating element operates at low voltage (e.g., 24V AC) instead of high DC voltage, eliminating the need for extensive insulation while maintaining heating capability through increased current amplitude.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct high-voltage electrical heating system with a transformed low-voltage AC system. By substituting the high-voltage DC supply with a transformer-based low-voltage AC supply, the system eliminates insulation requirements while achieving equivalent or superior heating performance.
2Power
If high DC voltage is used for heating, then heating efficiency is maintained, but personal and fire protection requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameters from high DC voltage to low AC voltage, fundamentally altering the safety profile. The low voltage operation eliminates electric shock hazards to personal safety and reduces fire risks, while the heating efficiency is maintained through optimized current amplitude and waveform.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful high voltage into a beneficial low voltage system. By using a transformer to step down the voltage, the system turns what would be a safety hazard into a safe operating condition, while the AC waveform and current control provide precise heating regulation.
3Reliability
If insulation measures are added to high voltage heating elements, then safety is improved, but device size and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the operating voltage parameter from high to low, making insulation measures unnecessary. The low AC voltage operation inherently provides safety without requiring additional insulation components, thereby reducing device size and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the insulation component from the heating element design. By operating at low voltage, the system removes the need for insulation layers, protective enclosures, and associated mounting structures, resulting in a more compact and lighter device.
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 design achieves a compact, cost-effective, and safe heating element that can produce high heating outputs with low AC voltage, reducing the need for insulation and allowing for efficient integration into vehicle air-conditioners while maintaining effective personal and fire protection.
Implementation Method 1
a transformer (6) for transforming the high AC voltage into a low AC voltage. The transformer (6) itself has a primary winding (7) that is connected to the converter unit (5) in an electrically conductive manner and a secondary winding (8) interacting with the primary winding (7) in the known manner
Implementation Method 2
an electrically conductive heating conductor (2) equipped for heating air or liquid which leads through a fluid path for a fluid flow of air or liquid, so that the heating conductor (2) can be flowed about by air or liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A heating element for heating air or liquid may include an electrically conductive heating conductor equipped for heating at least one of air and liquid, a converter unit configured to convert a high DC voltage into a high AC voltage, and a transformer. The transformer may include a primary winding and a secondary winding. The secondary winding may have a lower winding number than the primary winding such that the high AC voltage, which is fed to the primary winding by the converter unit, is transformed into a low AC voltage in the secondary winding. The heating conductor may at least partially form the secondary winding and may be flowed through by a secondary current heating the heating conductor. An amperage of the secondary current may materialise as a function of an ohmic resistance of the heating conductor and of the low AC voltage.