Transmission Fluid Thermal Management via Coolant Loop Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for heating and cooling automatic transmission fluid in vehicles are inefficient, leading to high parasitic losses and reduced fuel economy, especially in cold conditions, and often compromise passenger compartment heating and coolant flow.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a heat exchanger connected to the engine and transmission, with a controller and valves to selectively direct hot or cold engine coolant to the heat exchanger, allowing for rapid heating and cooling of transmission fluid while minimizing impact on passenger compartment heating, using temperature sensors and timers to manage fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an oil-to-engine coolant heat exchanger is used to warm transmission fluid, then transmission fluid heating efficiency is improved, but passenger compartment heating is compromised and additional cooling systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
The radiator is divided into a high temperature loop and a low temperature loop, allowing separate coolant flow paths. The low temperature loop maintains passenger compartment heating while the high temperature loop provides transmission fluid heating, resolving the conflict between these two functions.
Solution Approach 2:
A three-way valve is introduced as an intermediary component to control coolant distribution between different loops. This valve enables dynamic routing of coolant flow to satisfy both passenger compartment heating and transmission fluid heating requirements simultaneously.
2Loss of energy
If transmission fluid is heated quickly using existing systems, then fuel economy improves, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The existing radiator and coolant system are made multi-functional by adding the three-way valve and low temperature loop. This allows the same coolant system to serve both passenger compartment heating and transmission fluid heating, eliminating the need for separate dedicated heating components.
Solution Approach 2:
The three-way valve provides dynamic control of coolant flow distribution based on real-time temperature requirements. The system can adaptively switch between different operational modes (passenger heating priority, transmission heating priority, or balanced operation) to optimize fuel economy while maintaining simplicity.
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
The system efficiently reduces transmission fluid viscosity and cools the fluid under heavy loads, improving fuel economy and maintaining passenger compartment heating without the complexity and cost of prior solutions.
Implementation Method 1
The heat exchanger is adapted to receive hot engine coolant from the engine and to transfer energy from the hot engine coolant to the transmission fluid
Implementation Method 2
The heater core is adapted to receive hot engine coolant from the engine and to transfer energy from the hot engine coolant to air, which is sent to the passenger compartment
Implementation Method 3
The radiator is adapted to cool the engine coolant by transferring heat from the coolant to ambient air
Data Source
AI summary
A system for heating and cooling the transmission fluid including a heat exchanger adapted to transfer heat between an engine coolant and a transmission fluid and a controller for controlling a valve to place the system into a select one of three modes including a heater core priority mode wherein no engine coolant flows to the heat exchanger, a heating mode wherein hot engine coolant flows directly to the heat exchanger from the engine and a cooling mode wherein cool engine coolant flows directly to the heat exchanger from the radiator, whereby the transmission fluid is heated in an efficient manner with minimal impact on passenger compartment heating.