Vehicle Cooling Circuit Flow Rate Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle cooling devices are inefficient in cooling batteries and power control units as they require a single cooling liquid flow rate for both components, leading to suboptimal cooling performance during charging and traveling states.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device with a dual-circuit system where the cooling liquid flow rate is dynamically controlled between a power control unit and a battery, using separate circuits and a flow-rate control unit to prioritize cooling based on vehicle state, with natural convection during travel and forced convection during charging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single cooling circuit is used for both battery and power control unit, then the cooling circuit structure is simple, but the cooling efficiency for each component is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling circuit is divided into a first cooling circuit for the power control unit and a second cooling circuit for the battery, allowing independent flow rate control for each component. This segmentation enables optimized cooling efficiency for each component while maintaining overall system manageability.
2Device complexity
If a single cooling liquid flow rate is used for both battery and power control unit, then the control system is simple, but the cooling performance during charging and traveling states is suboptimal
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the cooling liquid flow rates in the first and second cooling circuits based on the vehicle state (charging or traveling). During charging, the battery cooling flow rate is increased while power control unit cooling is reduced. During traveling, the power control unit cooling flow rate is increased. This dynamic adjustment optimizes cooling performance for each operational state.
3Reliability
If the cooling liquid flow rate is increased for the battery during charging, then the battery cooling efficiency is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different cooling intensities to different components based on their specific cooling needs. During charging, the second cooling circuit (battery) receives higher flow rate while the first cooling circuit (power control unit) receives reduced flow rate. This localized quality adjustment ensures the battery gets adequate cooling during charging without wasting energy on cooling the power control unit which generates less heat during this state.
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 approach ensures efficient cooling of both the battery and power control unit, reducing heat generation and energy costs, while simplifying the cooling circuit structure and reducing component losses.
Implementation Method 1
a radiator provided in the cooling circuit and that dissipates heat from the cooling liquid circulating through the cooling circuit
Implementation Method 2
an electric fan is operated to send a current of cooling air to the radiator
Implementation Method 3
a cooling circuit through which a cooling liquid for cooling the battery and the power control unit is circulated
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling device for a vehicle, includes a cooling circuit including a first circuit in which a cooling liquid circulates through a power control unit and a second circuit connected in parallel with the first circuit and in which the cooling liquid circulates through a battery without passing through the power control unit; and a flow-rate control unit that controls a proportion of a flow rate of the cooling liquid between the first circuit and the second circuit, and when the battery is being charged with the electric power of the external power supply, the control unit controls so that the flow rate of the cooling liquid flowing through the second circuit is greater than the flow rate of the cooling liquid flowing through the first circuit on a side of the power control unit.