Vehicular temperature control system

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicular temperature control systems cannot supply liquid heat media at different temperatures to multiple heat-dissipating heat exchangers, leading to inefficiencies and system complexity.

Innovation Solution

A vehicular temperature control system with a liquid heat medium circuit and a liquid heating device featuring a tank with multiple flow paths and exits, where the heater is arranged inside one flow path, allowing for the supply of liquid heat media at varying temperatures through branching paths connected to heat-dissipating heat exchangers, with on-off valves and pumps for precise control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single liquid heating device supplies heat to multiple heat-dissipating heat exchangers, then the system structure is simplified, but the temperatures of liquid heat media supplied to different heat exchangers cannot be differentiated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem structureVSAvoidtemperature differentiation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The tank is divided into multiple flow paths (first flow path, second flow path, third flow path) with separate flow path exits. The heater is selectively arranged in specific flow paths to heat liquid heat medium only in those paths, enabling differentiated temperature supply to multiple heat exchangers while maintaining a unified heating device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the tank (different flow paths) are assigned different thermal characteristics by selectively placing the heater in specific flow paths. This creates local quality differences where some flow paths contain heated liquid heat medium while others contain unheated or less heated liquid heat medium, allowing each heat exchanger to receive appropriately differentiated temperatures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Temperature

If multiple liquid heating devices are arranged according to heat dissipation requirements, then temperature control for each heat exchanger is improved, but vehicle size increases and system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature control precisionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single liquid heating device is designed to perform multiple functions by supplying differentiated temperature liquid heat media to multiple heat-dissipating heat exchangers through the multi-flow path tank structure. This eliminates the need for multiple separate heating devices while achieving the same temperature control objectives, thereby reducing system complexity and vehicle size.

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

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple heating functions that would traditionally require separate heating devices are merged into a single liquid heating device with a multi-flow path tank. The heater and tank are integrated with multiple flow paths that can be selectively heated, combining what would be separate heating units into one unified system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Device complexity

If liquid heat medium is supplied to multiple heat-dissipating heat exchangers from a single source, then system simplicity is maintained, but heat dissipation optimization is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidheat dissipation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid heat medium flow is segmented into multiple flow paths within the tank, allowing different portions of the liquid heat medium to be heated to different temperatures or not heated at all. This segmentation enables each heat-dissipating heat exchanger to receive liquid heat medium optimized for its specific heat dissipation requirements, improving overall heat dissipation efficiency while maintaining system simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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

Enables the supply of liquid heat media at appropriate temperatures and flow rates to each heat-dissipating heat exchanger, optimizing heat dissipation and reducing system complexity.

Implementation Method 1

a heater (103), arranged inside one flow path (110) of the at least one flow path, that heats the liquid heat medium

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

a plurality of heat-dissipating heat exchangers (120), arranged on respective branching paths (131 to 13n) serving as the first to n-th branching paths

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Data Source

PatentEP4428466A1Vehicular temperature control system
Publication Date: 2024.09.11 VALEO ELECTRIFICATION
  • EP4428466A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4428466A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4428466A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A vehicular temperature control system according to the present disclosure includes a liquid heat medium circuit, a liquid heating device, and a plurality of heat-dissipating heat exchangers, wherein the liquid heating device includes a tank and a heater, wherein the tank includes at least one flow path, at least one flow path entrance, and a plurality of flow path exits, wherein the heater is arranged inside one flow path of the at least one flow path, wherein the plurality of flow path exits includes first to n-th flow path exits ("n" being a natural number greater than or equal to 2), wherein the liquid heat medium flowing out from the first flow path exit is relatively lower in temperature than the liquid heat medium flowing out from the n-th flow path exit, wherein the liquid heat medium circuit includes first to n-th branching paths connected to respective flow path exits serving as the first to n-th flow path exits, and wherein the plurality of heat-dissipating heat exchangers is arranged on respective branching paths serving as the first to n-th branching paths.