Vehicle Thermal Management Without a Front Radiator
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Solution Overview
Problem
The mounting of a radiator in vehicles restricts design flexibility, particularly in electric vehicles, affecting aesthetic appearance and aerodynamic performance due to the need for a bumper hole and increased vehicle height.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system that utilizes a first heat-exchange fluid to cool components without a radiator, using a connection line to exchange heat with a second heat-exchange fluid in a vehicle air conditioning line, allowing for separate cooling and heating of internal components and space through a chiller portion and heat pump condenser.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a radiator is mounted in the vehicle to cool components, then heat dissipation is improved, but vehicle height increases and design freedom is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the component cooling function and vehicle air conditioning function into a single integrated system. The first heat-exchange fluid (component cooling fluid) and second heat-exchange fluid (air conditioning refrigerant) exchange heat through a heat exchanger, allowing both cooling functions to share common components and achieve heat dissipation without increasing vehicle height
Solution Approach 2:
The second heat-exchange fluid in the air conditioning line serves dual purposes: it cools the internal space of the vehicle and simultaneously cools the first heat-exchange fluid that cools motorization equipment. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate radiator, maintaining compact vehicle height while providing effective heat dissipation
2Temperature
If a radiator is mounted in the vehicle to cool components, then heat dissipation is improved, but aesthetic appearance and aerodynamic performance are degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the radiator function from the vehicle front end and relocates it to an integrated heat exchanger system. By removing the traditional radiator and its associated bumper hole, the system eliminates the aerodynamic drag and aesthetic degradation while maintaining effective heat dissipation through the combined cooling system
3Temperature
If a radiator is mounted in the vehicle to cool components, then heat dissipation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the component cooling system and air conditioning system into a single integrated thermal management system. By combining these two previously separate systems, the patent reduces the total number of components and simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining effective heat dissipation capabilities
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 system reduces vehicle height and improves design freedom by eliminating the radiator, while effectively cooling components and regulating internal temperature.
Implementation Method 1
allowing the first heat-exchange fluid in the cooling line to exchange heat with the cooling target component portion
Implementation Method 2
cooling the first heat-exchange fluid by allowing the first heat-exchange fluid to exchange heat with the second heat-exchange fluid in the connection line
Implementation Method 3
a vehicle air conditioning line through which a second heat-exchange fluid, which heats or cools an internal space of the vehicle while exchanging heat with the internal space of the vehicle, flows
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a vehicle, which includes a cooling line through which a first heat-exchange fluid for cooling a cooling target component portion flows, a vehicle air conditioning line through which a second heat-exchange fluid, flows, and a connection line extending from the cooling line toward the vehicle air conditioning line and configured to define a region in which the first heat-exchange fluid and the second heat-exchange fluid exchange heat with each other, includes allowing the first heat-exchange fluid in the cooling line to exchange heat with the cooling target component portion, supplying the first heat-exchange fluid to the connection line, and cooling the first heat-exchange fluid by allowing the first heat-exchange fluid to exchange heat with the second heat-exchange fluid in the connection line.