Vehicle Thermal Degassing Layout for Air Suction Prevention
Solution Overview
Problem
In the modern vehicle industry, particularly in battery electric vehicles, there is a need for an energy-efficient and compact thermal management system that effectively couples heat sources while minimizing air suction risks during vehicle operation.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system comprising degassing pipes connected to a degassing tank with strategically arranged connecting ports and a filling pipe, where the degassing pipes are positioned below the tank's minimum filling level and at a predefined distance from the filling port to prevent air suction, and equipped with restriction units to control flow rates and pressure, ensuring efficient degassing and filling processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the degassing pipe is connected to the side wall of the degassing tank, then the system complexity is reduced, but air suction risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the connection locations for different pipe types. The degassing pipe connects to the side wall at a specific height (above the lowest point but below the normal operating level), while the filling pipe connects to the bottom. This localized differentiation allows the system to maintain simplicity while preventing air suction - the side wall connection provides easy access without requiring bottom-level positioning that would cause air intake.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-positioning the degassing pipe connection at an optimal height on the side wall during system design. This predetermined positioning ensures that the pipe inlet is always above the lowest point of the tank, preventing air suction before it becomes a problem during operation. The connection geometry is established in advance to eliminate the air suction risk rather than reacting to it during vehicle operation.
2Productivity
If the filling pipe is positioned at the bottom of the tank, then filling efficiency is improved, but air entrapment risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the functions of the filling pipe and degassing pipe into distinct connection points. The filling pipe connects exclusively to the bottom for efficient fluid introduction, while the degassing pipe connects to the side wall for air removal. This functional segmentation allows each pipe to optimize its specific task - filling efficiency for the filling pipe and air suction prevention for the degassing pipe - without compromising the other.
3Reliability
If multiple degassing pipes are used, then degassing efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining multiple degassing pipe connections to a single common degassing tank. Instead of creating separate complex degassing systems for each heat source, multiple degassing pipes from different thermal circuits converge into one shared tank with a unified side wall connection. This merging approach maintains high degassing efficiency across multiple heat sources while avoiding the complexity of multiple independent degassing systems.
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 enhances energy efficiency and reliability by preventing air suction, optimizing degassing efficiency, and maintaining balanced pressure, thus avoiding cavitation and leakage issues, which can impact energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one degassing pipe end of the at least one degassing pipe is arranged below a limit level of the degassing tank. Additionally, the at least one degassing pipe end is arranged at a first distance from the filling port of the filling pipe.
Implementation Method 2
equipped with restriction units to control flow rates and pressure, ensuring efficient degassing and filling processes
Implementation Method 3
the degassing tank may be divided into a plurality of sections where the degassing process and the filling process may be separated from each other, so that the air may have time to be evacuated or degassed to the surface of the filling fluid inside the tank before the filling fluid may exit the tank
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a thermal management system for a vehicle. The thermal management system can comprise at least one degassing pipe comprising at least one degassing pipe end and a filling pipe. The at least one degassing pipe can be connected to a degassing tank by means of at least one connecting port being arranged at a side wall of the degassing tank. The filling pipe can be connected to the degassing tank by means of a filling port being arranged at the bottom of the degassing tank. The at least one degassing pipe end can be arranged below a limit level of the degassing tank and at a first distance from the filling port of the filling pipe.