Vehicle Cooling Circuit With Ejector to Prevent Heat Pipe Dryout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for hybrid vehicles face challenges in preventing dryout in heat pipe cycles, leading to decreased cooling performance and increased temperatures of heat-generating sources due to insufficient refrigerant, without effective measures to address this issue.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system incorporating a compressor, condensers, a heat exchanger, and an ejector that forms a vapor compression refrigeration cycle and a heat pipe cycle, with a switching device to manage refrigerant flow, ensuring adequate refrigerant circulation and preventing dryout by using an ejector to draw refrigerant from a secondary line and join it with the compressor's discharge, thereby maintaining refrigerant levels in the heat pipe cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a heat-pipe cooling circuit is used to cool hybrid electrical devices when the air conditioner is stopped, then power consumption is reduced, but dryout may occur if the amount of refrigerant is short, leading to decreased cooling performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the air conditioning system and hybrid electrical device cooling system into a single integrated refrigeration cycle system. The compressor, condensers, and expansion devices are shared between both cooling functions, allowing the system to cool both the passenger compartment and electrical devices simultaneously or independently, thereby reducing overall system complexity and power consumption while maintaining reliable cooling performance through adequate refrigerant distribution
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic flow control mechanisms including electronically controlled expansion valves and switching devices that can adjust refrigerant flow distribution in real-time based on cooling demands. This dynamic control ensures adequate refrigerant supply to the heat pipe cycle for hybrid electrical devices while preventing dryout conditions, maintaining reliable cooling performance across varying operating conditions
2Device complexity
If the air conditioner cooling system is used to cool hybrid electrical devices, then system complexity is reduced and cost is lowered, but the refrigerant amount may be insufficient for heat radiation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal refrigeration cycle system where the air conditioning components (compressor, condensers, expansion valves) serve multiple functions - cooling both the passenger compartment and hybrid electrical devices. This multi-functional approach reduces system complexity and eliminates the need for separate cooling systems, while the total refrigerant charge is sufficient for both cooling applications when properly distributed through the flow control mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes variable expansion valves and flow control devices that can adjust refrigerant flow parameters (flow rate, pressure, temperature) to optimize refrigerant distribution between different cooling circuits. By dynamically changing these parameters, the system ensures adequate refrigerant supply to the heat pipe cycle for hybrid electrical devices while maintaining efficient air conditioning performance
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 solution effectively suppresses dryout in the heat pipe cycle, ensuring consistent cooling performance and preventing temperature increases in heat-generating sources within hybrid vehicles, while also reducing power consumption and system complexity.
Implementation Method 1
The ejector is configured to, when the refrigerant flows from the compressor to the first condenser via the ejector, draw the refrigerant from the second line and join the drawn refrigerant into the refrigerant from the compressor
Implementation Method 2
The compressor compresses refrigerant flowing through the cooling system
Implementation Method 3
The first condenser cools the refrigerant
Implementation Method 4
The cooling portion cools a heat generating source using the refrigerant
Implementation Method 5
The heat exchanger is used to perform air conditioning using the refrigerant
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system includes: a compressor; a first condenser; a cooling portion; a heat exchanger; a first line; a second line; a switching device; and an ejector. The first line forms a vapor compression refrigeration cycle by flowing refrigerant in order of the heat exchanger, the compressor, the first condenser and the cooling portion. The second line forms a heat pipe by circulating refrigerant between the first condenser and the cooling portion. The switching device flows refrigerant through the first line when air conditioning is performed, and flows refrigerant through the second line when air conditioning is stopped. The ejector is configured to, when refrigerant flows from the compressor to the first condenser via the ejector, draw refrigerant from the second line and join the drawn refrigerant into refrigerant from the compressor.