Vehicle Heating Unit Heat Dissipation Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric heating units for vehicles face challenges in efficiently dissipating heat to a heat transfer fluid while maintaining mechanical robustness and simplicity of production.

Innovation Solution

The electric heating unit features a heat-conducting body with a base body and heat-emitting bodies connected in a materially bonded manner, providing a large heat absorption surface parallel to the heating layer and a continuous or separate heat dissipation surface, which allows for efficient heat transfer to a heat transfer fluid, such as air or liquid, without the need for additional load-bearing elements, and includes an insulating layer to prevent electrical connections between heating resistors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a corrugated sheet-like heat conducting structure is used, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but mechanical robustness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidmechanical robustness
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The heat conducting body is divided into a base body and multiple heat-emitting bodies (fins) that extend from it. This segmentation allows the base body to provide mechanical strength while the fins provide large surface area for heat dissipation, resolving the contradiction between structural robustness and heat transfer efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heat-emitting bodies extend in a direction perpendicular to the heating layer, adding a third dimension to the heat dissipation structure. This vertical extension provides additional heat dissipation surface area without compromising the planar structural integrity provided by the base body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Stability of the object's composition

If additional load-bearing elements are added between heat-conducting body and heating layer, then mechanical stability is improved, but device complexity worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical stabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The base body of the heat conducting body is merged with the heating layer to form a unitary structure that provides both thermal conduction and mechanical support. This integration eliminates the need for separate load-bearing elements, reducing device complexity while maintaining structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The base body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a substrate for the heating layer, provides mechanical support, and conducts heat from the heating layer to the heat-emitting bodies. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional dedicated support structures.

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

3Productivity

If heat absorption surface area is increased, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The base body is designed with a pre-formed heat absorption surface that is substantially planar and positioned adjacent to the heating layer. This preliminary configuration of the heat absorption surface simplifies subsequent assembly and manufacturing processes while ensuring efficient thermal contact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 design enables rapid heat dissipation, mechanical robustness, and simplified production, ensuring effective heat transfer and minimizing thermal stresses, while allowing for easy mechanical connection of multiple units in a stack or row.

Implementation Method 1

The heating layer (10) has at least one heating resistor (14)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

the heat-conducting body (22) has a heat absorption surface (32) for absorbing heat from the heating layer (10) and a heat dissipation surface (34) for dissipating heat to a heat transfer fluid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

the heat transfer fluid can be air or a liquid, for example. The heating device can be designed in such a way that, during operation, the heat transfer fluid flows along the heat dissipation surface of the heat-conducting body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP2752084B1Electrical heating unit, heating device for a vehicle and method for producing a heating unit
Publication Date: 2019.06.12 WEBASTO AG
  • EP2752084B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2752084B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2752084B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4D

AI summary

The invention relates to an electrical heating unit (20) for a heating device (40) for a vehicle, having a heating layer (10) and a heat conducting body (22), wherein the heating layer (10) comprises at least one heating resistor (14) and the heat conducting body (22) comprises a heat absorbing face (32) for absorbing heat from the heating layer (10) and a heat releasing face (34) for releasing heat to a heat carrier fluid. According to the invention, the heat conducting body (22) comprises a main body (24) and at least two heat releasing bodies (26), wherein the main body (24) and the heat releasing body (26) are bonded to one another or are integral, wherein the heat absorbing face (32) is a surface of the main body (24) which faces the heating layer (10) and extends parallel to the heating layer, and the heat releasing face (34) is a surface of the heat releasing body (26). The invention further relates to a heating device and to a method for producing a heating unit.