Tufting Machine Controller Cooling Plate Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Tufting machines face challenges in reducing the thermal load of their components, leading to potential overheating and inefficiencies in cooling systems.
Innovation Solution
A cooling liquid system is integrated into the tufting machine, featuring a primary and secondary cooling liquid circuit with heat exchangers and adjustable flow control, allowing direct heat transfer from electrical components to cooling liquid, thereby enhancing cooling efficiency and adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If air flow cooling is used for electrical components, then the cooling system is simple to implement, but the cooling efficiency is insufficient leading to thermal load issues
Solution Approach 1:
A cooling plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the electrical components and the cooling liquid. The cooling plate has cooling liquid channels formed in its base layer, allowing cooling liquid to flow directly through the component housing and make thermal contact with electrical components mounted on its mounting surface, thereby efficiently removing heat while maintaining a compact integrated structure
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from air-based cooling to liquid-based cooling by circulating cooling liquid through channels in the cooling plate. This hydraulic cooling approach provides superior heat transfer efficiency compared to air cooling, effectively managing the thermal load of high-power electrical components
2Loss of energy
If cooling liquid channels are integrated into the component housing, then cooling efficiency increases, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The component housing is segmented into a base layer and a mounting layer. The cooling liquid channels are specifically formed in the base layer, separating the cooling function from the mounting function. This segmentation allows the cooling channels to be manufactured as an integrated feature of the base layer while providing flat mounting surfaces on the mounting layer for electrical components
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling plate is constructed as a composite structure with a base layer containing cooling liquid channels and a mounting layer for electrical components. This composite design integrates multiple functions (cooling, mounting, housing) into a single multi-layer component that can be manufactured using composite molding techniques
3Loss of energy
If direct cooling liquid contact with electrical components is implemented, then cooling efficiency is substantially increased, but risk of overheating and thermal damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling plate serves as a thermal intermediary between the cooling liquid and electrical components. It provides controlled thermal contact through its structured design, allowing efficient heat transfer while protecting components from direct liquid exposure. The base layer with integrated channels manages heat removal without requiring liquid to directly contact mounted components
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling plate acts as a thin thermal interface structure that facilitates heat transfer from electrical components to the cooling liquid. Its plate geometry provides sufficient thermal conductivity for effective cooling while maintaining physical separation between the cooling liquid and electrical components, thus protecting component reliability
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 significantly improves cooling efficiency, preventing overheating and maintaining optimal temperatures for electrical components, ensuring reliable operation of the tufting machine.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling liquid system for cooling at least one controller, the cooling liquid system comprising at least one cooling member having a cooling liquid channel for the passage of a cooling liquid and being in heat transfer contact with at least a part of the electrical components of a controller
Implementation Method 2
a primary heat exchanger for cooling the primary cooling liquid
Implementation Method 3
at least one secondary heat exchanger for transferring heat from the secondary cooling liquid of at least one secondary cooling circuit to the primary cooling liquid of the primary cooling circuit
Data Source
AI summary
A tufting machine comprises a needle bar and a needle bar drive mechanism for moving the needle bar towards and away from a backing material passed through a tufting zone by means of a backing material feed mechanism. The machine further comprises at least one controller and a cooling liquid system for cooling at least one controller, the cooling liquid system comprising at least one cooling member having a cooling liquid channel for the passage of a cooling liquid and being in heat transfer contact with at least a part of the electrical components of a controller.