Vehicle Cooling System Merging Autonomous Controller and Battery Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles require a separate cooling system for their control devices, which increases cost and complexity, and complicates the layout of connection pipes within the narrow engine compartment, making it difficult to efficiently cool both the autonomous driving controller and battery module.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system that includes a radiator, water pumps, and chillers connected through coolant and refrigerant lines, allowing for multiple cooling modes to efficiently cool the autonomous driving controller and battery module using a shared coolant and refrigerant circulation system, simplifying the piping layout and improving cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate cooling system is installed for the autonomous driving controller, then the cooling capability is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the autonomous driving controller cooling function with the existing air-conditioning system by integrating a chiller that uses the same refrigerant circulation system. The controller is connected to the refrigerant line through a valve, allowing it to share the cooling resources with the air-conditioning system, thereby improving cooling capability without proportionally increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigerant circulation system is designed to serve multiple functions: air-conditioning the vehicle interior and cooling the autonomous driving controller. The chiller unit can selectively direct refrigerant to either the air-conditioning evaporator or the controller cooling circuit through valve control, making the system universal and multi-functional
2Reliability
If connection pipes are added for the separate cooling system, then the cooling coverage is improved, but the piping layout complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a chiller unit as an intermediary component that connects the autonomous driving controller to the existing refrigerant circulation system. This chiller acts as a mediator that enables heat exchange between the controller and refrigerant without requiring direct complex piping between the controller and the main air-conditioning system, thereby simplifying the overall piping layout
3Reliability
If a separate cooling system is installed, then the cooling performance is improved, but the space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system for the autonomous driving controller is merged with the existing air-conditioning system components, particularly sharing the compressor, condenser, and refrigerant lines. The chiller unit is integrated into the existing system architecture, reducing the need for additional standalone cooling components and minimizing the total installation space required
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 system efficiently cools the autonomous driving controller and battery module using multiple cooling modes, improving durability and performance while reducing the overall complexity and cost of the cooling system, enhancing marketability and customer satisfaction.
Implementation Method 1
The first chiller is connected to a refrigerant line of the air-conditioning apparatus and configured to heat-exchange the selective inflowed coolant with the refrigerant supplied from the air-conditioning apparatus to adjust a temperature of the coolant
Implementation Method 2
a cooling apparatus including a radiator and a first water pump connected by a coolant line and circulating a coolant to the coolant line
Implementation Method 3
a high-temperature and high-pressure gas phase refrigerant compressed by the compressor
Implementation Method 4
a high-temperature and high-pressure gas phase refrigerant compressed by the compressor is condensed through the condenser
Implementation Method 5
and then is evaporated in the evaporator through the receiver drier and the expansion valve to decrease an interior temperature and humidity
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system for a vehicle includes a cooling apparatus including a radiator and a first water pump connected by a coolant line and circulating a coolant to the coolant line, a battery module provided on a battery coolant line selectively connected to the coolant line through a first valve, and a first chiller provided on the battery coolant line between the first valve and the battery coolant line. The first chiller is connected to a refrigerant line of the air-conditioning apparatus and is configured to heat-exchange the selective inflowed coolant with the refrigerant supplied from the air-conditioning apparatus to adjust a temperature of the coolant. The cooling system further includes an automatic driving controller connected to the coolant line so that the coolant is circulated inside, wherein the battery module or the automatic driving controller is cooled selectively by at least one cooling mode.