Vehicle Heat Pump Condenser Layout for Lower Blower Load

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle heat pump systems require large air-cooled condensers and high-capacity blowers, leading to increased size, power consumption, and noise due to the need for extensive air volume and radiant heat dissipation.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a water-cooled condenser on the refrigerant circulation line between the compressor and air-cooled condenser to exchange heat with coolant, reducing the size of the air-cooled condenser and blower capacity, and using controlling means to manage heat exchange based on heating and cooling modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If a large air-cooled condenser is used to dissipate heat through air volume, then heating and cooling functions are achieved, but the system size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation capabilityVSAvoidcondenser size

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines air-cooled and water-cooled condensing functions into a single hybrid condenser unit. The water-cooled condensing section handles the majority of heat rejection through the vehicle's coolant system, while the air-cooled section provides supplementary heat dissipation, allowing the overall condenser size to be reduced compared to a pure air-cooled design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The hybrid condenser serves multiple functions: it acts as both a water-cooled heat exchanger and an air-cooled heat dissipator. The coolant flowing through the condenser provides primary cooling, while air flow across the condenser fins provides additional heat rejection, making the system adaptable to varying thermal loads and environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Temperature

If a large air-cooled condenser is used to dissipate heat, then heating and cooling functions are achieved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation capabilityVSAvoidblower power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines air-cooled and water-cooled condensing functions into a single hybrid condenser unit. The water-cooled condensing section handles the majority of heat rejection through the vehicle's coolant system, while the air-cooled section provides supplementary heat dissipation, allowing the overall condenser size to be reduced compared to a pure air-cooled design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The hybrid condenser serves multiple functions: it acts as both a water-cooled heat exchanger and an air-cooled heat dissipator. The coolant flowing through the condenser provides primary cooling, while air flow across the condenser fins provides additional heat rejection, making the system adaptable to varying thermal loads and environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Temperature

If a large air-cooled condenser is used to dissipate heat, then heating and cooling functions are achieved, but noise increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation capabilityVSAvoidnoise

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines air-cooled and water-cooled condensing functions into a single hybrid condenser unit. The water-cooled condensing section handles the majority of heat rejection through the vehicle's coolant system, while the air-cooled section provides supplementary heat dissipation, allowing the overall condenser size to be reduced compared to a pure air-cooled design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The hybrid condenser serves multiple functions: it acts as both a water-cooled heat exchanger and an air-cooled heat dissipator. The coolant flowing through the condenser provides primary cooling, while air flow across the condenser fins provides additional heat rejection, making the system adaptable to varying thermal loads and environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Temperature

If high-capacity blowers are used to supply air volume to the condenser, then heat dissipation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat dissipation capabilityVSAvoidblower system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines air-cooled and water-cooled condensing functions into a single hybrid condenser unit. The water-cooled condensing section handles the majority of heat rejection through the vehicle's coolant system, while the air-cooled section provides supplementary heat dissipation, allowing the overall condenser size to be reduced compared to a pure air-cooled design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The hybrid condenser serves multiple functions: it acts as both a water-cooled heat exchanger and an air-cooled heat dissipator. The coolant flowing through the condenser provides primary cooling, while air flow across the condenser fins provides additional heat rejection, making the system adaptable to varying thermal loads and environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 configuration reduces the system's overall size, power consumption, and noise by minimizing the air-cooled condenser's size and blower capacity, while enhancing heating and cooling performance through efficient heat exchange and pressure rise mechanisms.

Implementation Method 1

a water-cooled condenser mounted on a refrigerant circulation line between the compressor and the air-cooled condenser to exchange heat between refrigerant and coolant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

exchange heat between refrigerant and coolant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

an air-cooled condenser mounted on a warm air passageway... for heating

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 4

an evaporator mounted on a cold air passageway... for cooling... evaporating the refrigerant to cool the air discharged to the interior of the vehicle due to heat absorption by evaporative latent heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Implementation Method 5

heat absorption by evaporative latent heat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLatent heat absorption: Latent Heat

Data Source

PatentUS10661632B2Heat pump system for vehicle

Publication Date: 2020.05.26 HANON SYST CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a heat pump system for a vehicle, which includes a compressor, an air-cooled condenser mounted on a warm air passageway, expansion means and an evaporator mounted on a cold air passageway of an air-conditioning case in order to carry out heating and cooling and further includes a water-cooled condenser mounted on a refrigerant circulation line between the compressor and the air-cooled condenser to exchange heat between refrigerant and coolant, thereby reducing the number and the size of blowers and the size of the entire system because the size of the air-cooled condenser inside the warm air passageway is reduced, and decreasing power consumption and noise by reducing capacity of a motor of the blower.