Venting Tank Inner Segment Bypass for Cooling System Noise

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional venting tanks in automotive cooling systems, especially those with lower operating temperatures, suffer from undesirable gasification effects and noise generation due to high flow rates, leading to inefficiencies and increased risk of leaks when equipped with bypass hoses.

Innovation Solution

A venting tank design featuring an inner segment that acts as an integral bypass within the tank, allowing only a fraction of the heat transfer fluid to enter the degassing volume, reducing turbulence and noise while maintaining a compact and reliable structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the entire flow of heat transfer fluid passes through the venting tank, then the tank can effectively degas the fluid, but gasification occurs at the outlet due to low volume and high flow rate turbulence

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedegassing effectivenessVSAvoidgasification at outlet
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The venting tank is divided into two functional zones: an inner venting volume for degassing and an inner segment (bypass duct) for direct fluid passage. This segmentation allows different portions of the fluid flow to take different paths - some fluid is diverted to the inner venting volume for degassing while other fluid bypasses through the inner segment, preventing turbulence-induced gasification at the outlet

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Volume of moving object

If the venting tank volume is reduced for lower operating temperature circuits, then the tank becomes more compact, but turbulence and noise increase due to high flow rate through the reduced volume

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveventing tank volumeVSAvoidnoise and turbulence
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the flow path into a bypass route (inner segment) and a degassing route (inner venting volume), the patent allows the tank to maintain a compact overall volume while providing a dedicated bypass channel that reduces turbulence and noise by allowing a portion of the high-flow fluid to pass through without entering the confined degassing space

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The inner segment extends through the cover and bottom of the tank, creating a three-dimensional bypass path that utilizes the vertical dimension of the tank structure. This dimensional approach allows the bypass duct to traverse the tank height without increasing the tank's horizontal footprint, maintaining compactness while enabling effective flow separation

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

3Object-generated harmful factors

If a bypass hose is added to reduce flow through the venting tank, then gasification and noise are reduced, but production cost and installation complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegasification and noiseVSAvoidbypass hose installation
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The bypass function is merged into the tank structure itself through the inner segment that is integral to the cover and bottom. This eliminates the need for separate external bypass hoses and their associated connecting means, thereby reducing production costs, simplifying installation, and minimizing additional leakage risks while achieving the same flow diversion effect

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Object-generated harmful factors

If a bypass hose is added to reduce flow through the venting tank, then gasification and noise are reduced, but the risk of breakdown increases due to additional leakage points

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegasification and noiseVSAvoidleakage risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The bypass pathway is integrated into the sealed tank structure as an internal feature (inner segment) rather than an external addition. This merging eliminates additional external connecting means and potential leakage points, maintaining the reliability of the original sealed tank construction while achieving reduced gasification and noise through internal flow management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 effectively reduces gasification and noise without increasing production or installation complexity, enhancing the tank's reliability and efficiency by integrating the bypass within the sealed tank structure.

Implementation Method 1

only a fraction of the flow of the heat transfer fluid is conducted into the inner venting volume of the venting tank to be degassed, the other fraction passing through the inner segment without being degassed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow division:

Implementation Method 2

The first is to allow the thermal expansion of the heat transfer fluid by adding a volume of air above the maximum level of the liquid in the tank

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 3

The second is to degas the heat transfer circuit. In fact, if the circuit is free from gas before first start-up of the vehicle, there is a risk of gasifying the circuit when the vehicle is in operation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDegassing:

Data Source

PatentEP3353399B1Venting tank and automotive vehicle comprising such a tank
Publication Date: 2021.08.25 ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC
  • EP3353399B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3353399B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

According to the inventive venting tank (1) for a cooling system of a motor vehicle, the venting tank (1) comprises a main wall (3), which defines an inner venting volume (V) of the venting tank, the main wall comprising a bottom (5) and a cover (7) opposite one another, intake means (45, 47, 49, 51, 53) for a heat transfer fluid to be vented within the interior venting volume, and discharge means (55, 57) for discharging the vented heat transfer fluid outside the inner venting volume. This venting tank (1) further comprises a heat transfer fluid duct (19), which crosses through the cover (7) and the bottom (5) and comprises an inner segment (29) extending within the inner venting volume (V) from the cover (7) to the bottom (5) and whereof an inner volume (V29) is separated from the inner venting volume.