Vehicle Thermal Management Shutter Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal management systems for vehicles face challenges in securing high temperature cooling water early in cold conditions without impeding engine warm-up and cooling, especially when heating devices like batteries and transmissions using waste engine heat.
Innovation Solution
A thermal management system that includes a cooling circuit, heat exchange circuits, flow rate control valves, a radiator, a shutter to control outside air intake, and a controller that adjusts the flow rate and shutter opening based on cooling water temperature to optimize heat transfer and prevent excessive temperature rise, ensuring efficient heating of vehicle devices without impeding engine warm-up.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the vehicle uses waste heat from the engine to heat other vehicle devices, then energy efficiency is improved, but it becomes difficult to secure high temperature cooling water early when the engine is warming up in cold conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by blocking cold air intake before the engine completes warming up. The control unit closes the grille shutter in advance (when cooling water temperature is below the radiator valve opening temperature) to prevent cold air from cooling the engine, thereby securing high temperature cooling water earlier for heating other vehicle devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback control by continuously monitoring the cooling water temperature and adjusting the grille shutter position accordingly. When the cooling water temperature reaches the radiator valve opening temperature, the control unit opens the shutter to allow cold air intake for engine cooling, and closes it when temperature drops below this threshold to preserve heat for other devices.
2Temperature
If the grille shutter is closed to prevent cold air from cooling the engine, then high temperature cooling water is secured early, but the engine warm-up process may be impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the operational parameter (grille shutter position) based on the cooling water temperature parameter. The shutter is closed when cooling water temperature is below the radiator valve opening temperature to maintain high temperature, and opened when temperature reaches this threshold to enable proper engine warm-up and cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the grille shutter position based on real-time cooling water temperature conditions. The control unit continuously monitors temperature and changes shutter state accordingly, making the system adaptive to changing thermal conditions during engine operation.
3Loss of time
If the flow rate control valve opens early to supply cooling water to heat exchange circuits, then vehicle devices are heated early, but the cooling water temperature may not be sufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by closing the grille shutter before opening the flow rate control valve. This ensures that high temperature cooling water is secured in advance through blocked cold air intake, so when the flow rate control valve opens, sufficient temperature cooling water is available to heat vehicle devices immediately.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by blocking the cold air intake path before the cooling water is supplied to heat exchange circuits. This prevents the engine from being cooled by cold air, thereby preserving and building up high temperature cooling water in advance for subsequent heating operations.
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 efficiently heats vehicle devices using waste engine heat while preventing excessive cooling water temperature rise, thus maintaining engine warm-up and improving energy efficiency by utilizing the waste heat without additional heaters.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling circuit (such as the cooling circuit 3 described below) in which cooling water performing heat exchange with an engine (such as the engine 2 described below) circulates
Implementation Method 2
a radiator (such as the engine radiator 35 described below) which is connected to the cooling circuit to perform heat exchange between cooling water and the atmosphere
Implementation Method 3
a heat exchange circuit (such as the first heat exchange circuit 5 and the second heat exchange circuit 4 described below) which is connected to the cooling circuit and in which cooling water performing heat exchange with vehicle devices other than the engine flows
Data Source
AI summary
The thermal management system includes a cooling circuit in which cooling water circulates, a heat exchange circuit in which cooling water performing heat exchange with a battery flows, a flow rate control valve which adjusts a flow rate of cooling water flowing from the cooling circuit to the heat exchange circuit, a shutter which adjusts an introduction amount of outside air into an engine room, and an ECU which controls an opening degree of the flow rate control valve and an opening degree of the shutter. The ECU controls the shutter and the flow rate control valve to be in a fully closed state when a cooling water temperature is less than a valve opening temperature of a thermostat valve and controls the shutter and the flow rate control valve to be in an open state when the cooling water temperature is greater than the valve opening temperature.