Vehicle Coolant Loop Coupling for Bidirectional Heat Load Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unbalanced heat load in vehicles due to uneven airflow, leading to ineffective cooling of components and potential failure to maintain cabin comfort, especially in bidirectional vehicles.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a thermal management system that couples high and low temperature coolant loops between the leading and trailing ends of the vehicle, allowing for the transfer of thermal energy to balance the heat load based on the direction of travel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the vehicle travels in one direction, then the leading end receives higher airflow for cooling, but the trailing end experiences insufficient cooling due to lower airflow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the thermal management systems of the leading and trailing ends by coupling the coolant loops through heat exchangers. This allows thermal energy to be transferred from the trailing end (which has excess heat due to insufficient airflow) to the leading end (which has sufficient cooling airflow), thereby balancing the heat load across the vehicle and improving overall cooling effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces heat exchangers as intermediary devices between the coolant loops of the leading and trailing ends. These heat exchangers act as mediators to transfer thermal energy from the trailing end to the leading end, enabling heat load balancing without directly modifying the airflow distribution or the primary cooling systems.
2Ease of operation
If a thermal management system with coupled coolant loops is implemented, then heat load balancing is achieved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the coupled coolant loop system with heat exchangers and control mechanisms that can operate in multiple modes - transferring heat from leading to trailing end, from trailing to leading end, or operating independently. This multi-functionality allows a single thermal management system to address various cooling scenarios and heat load imbalances, reducing the need for separate dedicated systems for each 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
This solution effectively balances the heat load across the vehicle, improving cooling efficiency and maintaining cabin comfort by ensuring that thermal energy is distributed optimally regardless of the vehicle's direction of travel.
Implementation Method 1
controlling, based at least in part on the direction of travel, a transfer of fluid between the first coolant loop and the second coolant loop to transfer thermal energy between the first thermal system and the second thermal system
Implementation Method 2
a first radiator associated with the first end; a second radiator associated with the second end
Implementation Method 3
The thermal energy can be transferred to either the first coolant loop or the second coolant loop based at least in part on a direction of travel of the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for providing heat load balancing in an autonomous bi-directional vehicle utilize a first coolant loop thermally coupled to a first drive motor and a first end of the autonomous bi-directional vehicle and a second coolant loop thermally coupled to a second drive motor and a second end of the autonomous bi-directional vehicle to exchange thermal energy. A conduit thermally couples the first coolant loop with the second coolant loop to allow transfer of the coolant in between. A controller is usable to increase an amount of thermal energy transferred between the first coolant loop and the second coolant loop based at least in part on a direction of travel of the autonomous bi-directional vehicle.