Commercial Vehicle Cooling Circuit Merging Intercooler and Heat Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for commercial vehicles are not cost-effective and do not efficiently cool intercoolers and heat-dissipating heat exchangers, as they require separate cooling circuits and are not optimized for maximum heat dissipation.
Innovation Solution
A combined high-temperature (HT) and low-temperature (LT) cooling circuit system where the LT circuit cools both the intercooler and heat-dissipating heat exchanger, with a valve device controlling coolant flow to maximize efficiency and reduce component duplication, allowing for cost-effective design and quick engine warm-up during cold starts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a separate low-temperature cooling circuit is provided for cooling the heat-dissipating heat exchanger, then the heat exchanger can be cooled effectively, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling of the charge air cooler and heat-dissipating heat exchanger into a single low-temperature cooling circuit. The cooling circuits are merged such that coolant flows through both components in series, eliminating the need for separate cooling systems while maintaining effective cooling of both components.
Solution Approach 2:
The low-temperature cooling circuit serves multiple functions simultaneously: it cools both the charge air cooler and the heat-dissipating heat exchanger. This multi-functional design allows a single cooling system to handle multiple thermal management tasks, reducing overall system complexity.
2Device complexity
If the high-temperature cooling circuit is used to cool the charge air cooler, then the system design is simpler, but the cooling effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different cooling temperatures to different components based on their specific cooling requirements. The low-temperature cooling circuit is specifically directed to the charge air cooler and heat-dissipating heat exchanger, while other components may use the high-temperature circuit, ensuring each component receives appropriate cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system incorporates dynamic control through a control unit that regulates coolant flow distribution between the high-temperature and low-temperature circuits based on operating conditions. This allows the system to adaptively optimize cooling effectiveness for different thermal loads and operating scenarios.
3Temperature
If additional cooling circuits are provided for each component, then each component can be cooled optimally, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple cooling requirements into consolidated cooling circuits. Instead of providing separate cooling systems for each component, the invention combines the charge air cooler and heat-dissipating heat exchanger into shared low-temperature cooling circuits, reducing the total number of cooling systems and associated manufacturing costs.
4Productivity
If the cooling system is optimized for maximum heat dissipation, then the energy recovery efficiency increases, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of the cooling system with a control unit that monitors operating conditions and adjusts coolant flow distribution in real-time. This dynamic optimization ensures maximum heat dissipation efficiency for energy recovery while adapting to varying thermal loads, thereby achieving high productivity without requiring overly complex fixed configurations.
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 combined cooling circuit ensures effective cooling of critical components, reduces engine friction, saves fuel, and enables quicker heating for vehicle occupants by optimizing coolant flow and eliminating the need for additional cooling circuits, thus enhancing overall system efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a low-temperature cooling circuit (LT cooling circuit) (6) by means of which at least one charge air cooler (7) and a heat-dissipating heat exchanger (9) of an energy recovery system (11) are cooled
Implementation Method 2
a valve device by means of which a coolant flow through the combined cooling circuit can be controlled or regulated
Implementation Method 3
a heat-supplying heat exchanger, through which the waste heat from the internal combustion engine can be fed into the energy recovery system
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a cooling system for a vehicle, in particular for a commercial vehicle, with a high-temperature cooling circuit (HT cooling circuit, 3) by means of which an internal combustion engine (5), in particular a cylinder-piston unit, of the vehicle can be cooled, wherein at least one charge air cooler (7) is provided by means of which the combustion air (23) supplied to the internal combustion engine (5) can be cooled, wherein an energy recovery device (ER device, 11) is provided by means of which energy can be recovered and/or generated from waste heat of the internal combustion engine (5), in particular mechanical and/or electrical energy, wherein the ER device (11) has a heat-supplying heat exchanger (43) by means of which the waste heat of the internal combustion engine (5) can be supplied to the ER device (11), and wherein the ER device (11) has a heat-dissipating heat exchanger (9).According to the invention, a low-temperature cooling circuit (LT cooling circuit, 6) having a lower temperature than the HT cooling circuit (3) is provided, by means of which both the at least one charge air cooler (7) and the heat-dissipating heat exchanger (9) of the ER device (11) can be cooled.