Vehicle Ventilator Pulse Control to Prevent Bearing Seizure
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Solution Overview
Problem
ADAS devices in vehicles generate heat and require cooling, but ventilators used for cooling can cause noise and may seize if not regularly operated, leading to failure when needed.
Innovation Solution
A cooling device and method that periodically supplies voltage to the ventilator to maintain rotation, using a voltage supply part to alternate between supplying and stopping voltage when the ventilator's rotational speed does not exceed a prescribed speed, preventing bearing adhesion and ensuring cooling is available when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If the ventilator is stopped when not needed, then noise is reduced, but the ventilator bearings may seize and the ventilator fails to rotate when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit causes the voltage supply unit to periodically supply voltage to the ventilator motor even when the ventilator is not needed for cooling. This periodic voltage supply creates intermittent rotation that prevents bearing seizure while maintaining the ability to provide full cooling when needed. The periodic action resolves the contradiction by keeping the ventilator occasionally active (preventing seizure) while still allowing it to be stopped most of the time (reducing noise).
2Reliability
If the ventilator is rotated continuously to prevent bearing seizure, then reliability is improved, but noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous rotation, the system uses periodic voltage supply at intervals sufficient to prevent bearing seizure but brief enough to minimize noise. The control unit monitors conditions and only activates the ventilator periodically when necessary, achieving bearing maintenance with minimal noise generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts ventilator operation based on real-time conditions. The control unit evaluates temperature, cooling demand, and bearing health indicators to determine optimal voltage supply timing, transitioning between stopped and rotating states as needed. This dynamic control prevents bearing seizure while minimizing noise compared to continuous operation.
3Reliability
If voltage is repeatedly supplied to a non-rotating ventilator, then bearing sticking is resolved and rotation is restored, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit detects when the ventilator has stopped rotating and proactively supplies voltage to restart it before complete bearing seizure occurs. By detecting early signs of stopping and applying preliminary voltage pulses, the system prevents full bearing adhesion with minimal energy input, rather than requiring prolonged high-energy operation to overcome seized bearings.
Solution Approach 2:
When the ventilator stops rotating, the control unit applies brief but sufficient voltage pulses to quickly restart rotation rather than allowing prolonged stagnation. These short, intensive voltage applications overcome bearing sticking rapidly and efficiently, consuming less total energy than gradual or prolonged voltage supply would require.
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 solution effectively prevents ventilator seizure by periodically rotating the ventilator, ensuring reliable cooling of ADAS devices and reducing noise, allowing the ADAS to function reliably.
Implementation Method 1
a voltage supply part (42) that supplies voltage to the ventilator (41)
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide a cooling device, a control method, and a computer program that make it possible to cool a heat source such as an ADAS device in a vehicle. A cooling device for cooling a heat source in a vehicle, including: a ventilator; and a voltage supply part that supplies voltage to the ventilator, where the voltage supply part supplies a voltage for rotating the ventilator to the ventilator, and when the rotational speed of the ventilator does not exceed a prescribed rotational speed, repeatedly performs supplying of the voltage to the ventilator and stopping of the supplying of the voltage.