Vaporization Unit Partitioning for Pump-Free Vehicle Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling methods for electronic elements in vehicles require complex structures and additional power for refrigerant circulation, leading to inefficiencies and material corrosion issues, especially with the increased heat generation from sensors and image processing devices in autonomous driving systems.
Innovation Solution
A cooling apparatus with a condensation unit and a vaporization unit divided by a partition wall, where the working fluid moves through a first and second pipe, and a multilayer structure enhances heat absorption and exchange, eliminating the need for a pump and improving durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional cooling method using a pipeline and pump is used to cool electronic elements, then heat exchange can be achieved, but the structure becomes complex and additional power is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the pump component from the conventional cooling system. The cooling apparatus uses natural circulation of refrigerant through phase change (evaporation in vaporization unit, condensation in condensation unit) to achieve cooling without requiring a pump, thereby simplifying the structure while maintaining cooling effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses self-service natural circulation driven by density differences and phase change. The refrigerant automatically circulates from the vaporization unit to the condensation unit and back without external power input, with the phase change process itself providing the driving force for refrigerant movement
2Temperature
If a long pipeline is used to cool additional electronic elements for automatic driving, then more heat can be cooled, but the inner spatial situation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The vaporization unit is divided into multiple vaporization chambers (first vaporization chamber, second vaporization chamber) that can independently cool different electronic elements. This segmentation allows multiple cooling targets to be served without requiring long connecting pipelines, reducing spatial occupation while increasing heat cooling capacity
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple vaporization chambers share a common condensation unit and refrigerant circulation path. This merging approach allows the system to cool multiple electronic elements simultaneously using a single compact cooling apparatus, avoiding the need for separate long pipelines for each cooling target
3Temperature
If a heat pipe is used for electronic element cooling, then cooling can be achieved, but material corrosion problems arise reducing durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the operating parameters of the cooling system by using phase change temperatures that avoid corrosion issues. The refrigerant is selected and the operating pressure-temperature range is controlled to prevent material corrosion, thereby maintaining both cooling effectiveness and durability
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling apparatus uses composite material construction, particularly in the vaporization unit and condensation unit, selecting materials that are resistant to corrosion from the refrigerant. This allows the system to maintain durability while achieving effective cooling
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 enhances cooling efficiency, prevents drying-out, and improves heat transfer by uniformly distributing the working fluid, reducing undercooling and preventing bubble accumulation, thus maintaining performance and durability.
Implementation Method 1
a condensation unit which cools a working fluid
Implementation Method 2
a vaporization unit to which the working fluid moves and in which the working fluid exchanges heat
Implementation Method 3
the working fluid introduced through the first moving space moves to the second moving space through the first moving passage to exchange heat
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a cooling apparatus including a vaporization unit in which a working fluid evaporates due to a heat source, and a condensation unit in which the evaporated working fluid is condensed, wherein the vaporization unit is divided into a first moving space and a second moving space by a partition wall, a first moving passage connecting the first moving space and the second moving space is formed in one region of the partition wall, and the working fluid introduced through the first moving space moves to the second moving space through the first moving passage to exchange heat.