Undermount Conditioning Unit Self-Powered Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Undermount conditioning units for vehicles face challenges in maintaining adequate cargo temperature when the vehicle is stationary, leading to potential cargo deterioration, high fuel consumption, and pollution due to the reliance on the traction engine's alternator for power, which is insufficient at low rotational speeds and prohibited by anti-pollution laws when idling.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a dedicated internal combustion engine and electric generator within the undermount conditioning unit, along with a power converter assembly and a water cooling circuit with a heatsink assembly, to ensure consistent power supply and reduce dimensions, allowing for efficient cooling without the need for direct fresh air intake, and utilizing a fan assembly to maximize cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the alternator is powered by the traction engine, then the undermount conditioning unit can be powered during vehicle operation, but the alternator cannot produce sufficient electrical power when the vehicle stops or moves at low speed
Solution Approach 1:
The undermount conditioning unit incorporates its own dedicated internal combustion engine and generator set, making it self-sufficient for power generation. This allows the unit to operate independently of the vehicle's traction engine, ensuring adequate electrical power supply for the compressor and condenser fans regardless of vehicle motion state.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the traction engine is turned on to power the alternator when the vehicle is parked, then electrical power can be supplied to the conditioning unit, but fuel consumption and pollution emissions increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The power generation function is segmented from the vehicle's traction engine and integrated into the undermount conditioning unit as a separate, dedicated internal combustion engine. This allows the conditioning unit to generate its own electrical power independently, enabling the vehicle's main engine to remain off during parking and loading operations, thereby reducing fuel consumption and pollution emissions.
3Reliability
If a dedicated internal combustion engine and generator are added to the undermount conditioning unit, then adequate power supply is ensured at all times, but the unit's dimensions and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The internal combustion engine, generator, power converter assembly, water cooling circuit, and conditioning components are merged into a single integrated undermount unit. This consolidation ensures reliable power supply while managing the overall dimensions and complexity through unified design and compact arrangement of components.
4Temperature
If fresh air intake is used for cooling the power converter assembly, then cooling efficiency is improved, but the unit's dimensions increase and it cannot be properly mounted underneath the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
A water cooling circuit with heatsink assembly is implemented to cool the power converter assembly. This hydraulic cooling system replaces the need for large-volume air intake structures, enabling effective heat dissipation while maintaining compact dimensions suitable for undermount installation beneath the vehicle.
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
Ensures consistent cargo temperature, reduces fuel consumption and pollution, and complies with anti-pollution regulations by providing a self-sufficient power source that operates independently of the traction engine, while minimizing the unit's dimensions and maintaining efficient cooling.
Implementation Method 1
an internal combustion engine supported by the supporting frame in the containment volume
Implementation Method 2
an electric generator driven by the internal combustion engine and electrically connected to a power converter assembly
Implementation Method 3
a water cooling circuit comprising a heatsink assembly thermally coupled to the power converter assembly
Implementation Method 4
a liquid to air exchanger, the water cooling circuit being supported by the supporting frame in the containment volume
Implementation Method 5
a fan assembly active on the liquid to air exchanger for moving air onto the liquid to air exchanger
Implementation Method 6
In the compressor a refrigerant gas is compressed to a higher temperature and pressure
Implementation Method 7
Compressed refrigerant gas then moves to the air-cooled condenser where air flowing across a group of condenser coil fins and tubes cools the gas to its saturation temperature. By removing latent heat, the gas condenses to a high pressure/low temperature liquid
Implementation Method 8
As the condensed liquid passes through the expansion valve, some of it vaporizes into a gas
Data Source
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AI summary
An undermount conditioning unit comprises a supporting frame (11) defining a containment volume (15) and configured for being mounted to a vehicle chassis at a position beneath the vehicle, an internal combustion engine (34) supported by the supporting frame, an electric generator driven by the internal combustion engine and electrically connected to a power converter assembly (44), a compressor (23), comprising an electric compressor motor powered by the power converter assembly (44), a condenser (26) fluidly connected to the compressor (23), a water cooling circuit comprising a heatsink assembly thermally coupled to the power converter assembly (44) and a liquid to air exchanger (57), a fan assembly active on the liquid to air exchanger (57) for moving air onto the liquid to air exchanger.