Battery Underbody Cooling Layout That Preserves Ground Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle underbody structures with refrigerant flow passages face challenges in maintaining ground clearance due to the need for supply and discharge members, which increase the vehicle's dimensions and reduce clearance between the road surface and the underfloor unit.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle underbody structure with a case on the vehicle's lower side that includes a refrigerant flow passage for heat exchange between batteries and refrigerant, and inflow/outflow portions communicating with the upper side to allow refrigerant flow, while being reinforced by a frame on the outer sides to ensure ground clearance and prevent load spread.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If supply members or discharge members are provided to supply or discharge refrigerant, then refrigerant flow function is achieved, but the dimension of the underfloor unit in the vehicle up/down direction increases and ground clearance becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the orientation of the refrigerant flow passage from the conventional vehicle up/down direction to the vehicle width direction. The passage extends between left and right sides of the underfloor unit, allowing supply and discharge members to be positioned laterally rather than vertically, thereby maintaining ground clearance while achieving refrigerant flow function
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of positioning the refrigerant flow passage and its supply/discharge members in the conventional vertical direction (up/down), the patent inverts the approach by positioning the passage horizontally across the vehicle width, with supply/discharge members accessible from the side rather than from above or below
2Temperature
If the refrigerant flow passage is positioned on the vehicle lower side for cooling, then cooling efficiency is improved, but ground clearance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reorients the refrigerant flow passage from a vertical arrangement (where it would extend downward reducing ground clearance) to a horizontal arrangement extending in the vehicle width direction, allowing the passage to remain on the vehicle lower side for effective cooling while not compromising ground clearance in the vertical direction
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 solution ensures ground clearance, inhibits load spread to the refrigerant flow passage, enhances cooling efficiency, and simplifies the configuration of inflow/outflow portions, allowing easy access to radiators and reducing the number of components.
Implementation Method 1
a refrigerant flow passage that is provided on the vehicle lower side of the case and in which heat exchange can take place between the batteries on the mount portion and a refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle underbody structure, including: a case that is provided on a vehicle lower side of a vehicle and has a mount portion on which batteries are mounted; a refrigerant flow passage that is provided on the vehicle lower side of the case and in which heat exchange can take place between the batteries on the mount portion and a refrigerant; and inflow/outflow portions that communicate with the refrigerant flow passage from a vehicle upper side and allow the refrigerant to flow in or flow out between an outside of the refrigerant flow passage and the refrigerant flow passage.