Vehicle Cooling Device Recirculation for Winter Clogging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooling devices for vehicles, particularly in wintry conditions, face challenges with complexity, low energy efficiency, and reduced cooling performance due to snow and ice clogging, which impairs their effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A cooling device design that recirculates heated exhaust air into the intake space to melt snow or ice, combined with a flow switch and thermo-mechanical actuator to regulate temperature and prevent clogging, ensuring efficient cooling performance across varying environmental conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If snow filters or separators are added to prevent clogging, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of snow and ice cloggingVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention converts the harmful cold exhaust air into a beneficial heating source by recirculating it through the inlet space. The heated exhaust air melts snow and ice before they can clog the cooling device, transforming a waste product into a protective element that prevents clogging without adding mechanical filters or separators.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling device serves itself by using its own exhaust air to prevent clogging of its own inlet. The system automatically recirculates heated exhaust air through the inlet space, creating a self-regulating mechanism that prevents snow and ice accumulation without requiring external control systems or additional protective components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If heated exhaust air is recirculated to melt snow and ice, then reliability improves, but energy efficiency worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of snow and ice cloggingVSAvoidenergy efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The invention recovers the thermal energy from exhaust air that would otherwise be wasted and discarded to the environment. By recirculating this heated air through the inlet space, the system utilizes waste heat to melt snow and ice, converting an energy loss into a useful function that protects the cooling device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful hot exhaust air that would contribute to energy loss is converted into a beneficial heating source. The recirculation system transforms waste thermal energy into a protective mechanism that prevents clogging, turning an energy disadvantage into a functional advantage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Device complexity

If simple structure is used without additional clogging prevention measures, then device complexity remains low, but reliability worsens due to snow and ice clogging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidperformance in wintry weather
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The exhaust air recirculation system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it prevents snow and ice clogging, heats the inlet space to avoid freezing, and can potentially reduce energy loss from exhaust air. This multi-functional approach maintains structural simplicity while reliably addressing wintry operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the naturally occurring heated exhaust air as a protective mechanism against snow and ice, requiring no additional complex components. The simple recirculation design leverages existing thermal energy to maintain reliability in cold environments without adding mechanical complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 provides a simple, energy-efficient, and robust cooling system capable of maintaining high performance in wintry weather by effectively melting snow and ice, ensuring uninterrupted cooling of heat sources without the need for additional clogging prevention measures.

Implementation Method 1

a fan (18) which is connected upstream or downstream of the heat source (17) and by means of which cooling air (11) can be conveyed through the heat source (17)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForced Convection: Forced Convection

Implementation Method 2

the temperature of the cooling air located in the intake space and/or the components of the cooling device can thus be influenced with the aid of the heated exhaust air, it being possible in particular to increase the existing temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

If snow is sucked in from an outside of the vehicle by such a cooling device, it gets caught in the separator and melts there

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentEP3251914B1Cooling device for a vehicle
Publication Date: 2020.10.28 BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION GMBH
  • EP3251914B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3251914B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a cooling device for installation on or in a vehicle, in particular on or in a rail vehicle. An object of the invention is to provide a cooling device that has a simple and robust design and is characterized by efficient energy use, high performance, and suitability for outdoor use in winter weather conditions. The cooling device according to the invention comprises an inlet chamber with an inlet device, wherein cooling air from the environment can flow into the inlet chamber through the inlet device. Furthermore, a heat source is arranged on or in the inlet chamber, which can be supplied with cooling air from the inlet chamber by means of a fan located upstream or downstream of the heat source. The exhaust air from the cooling device can be discharged into the environment of the vehicle by means of a provided outlet.The outlet is connected to an outlet duct, which, from a fluid dynamics perspective, is positioned downstream of the fan and the heat source to expel cooling air. Furthermore, a flow diverter is provided, also positioned downstream of the heat source. This diverter allows the cooling airflow to be split and/or directed either to the outlet or into the inlet chamber. This ensures that, depending on the position of the flow diverter, heated exhaust air from the cooling device can be completely, partially, or not at all recirculated into the inlet chamber.