Abstract:
This disclosure relates to various configurations for heat exchangers of a vehicle. In particular the heat exchangers can take the form of a condenser and a radiator. Instead of arranging the heat exchangers sequentially within a unitary air duct, this disclosure describes a multiple channel ducting system, where the heat exchangers are arranged in a v shape that allows a first portion of air entering the air to travel up towards a trunk of the vehicle and a second portion of the air to travel downward and out through a bottom exterior surface of the vehicle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 15/269,403, filed Sep. 19, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 14/977,621, filed Dec. 21, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,469,187, issued Oct. 18, 2016, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The disclosed embodiments relate generally to ways of arranging heat dissipating components within a vehicle. In particular, a v type layout is described in which incoming ambient air is split into two channels that flow to the condenser and radiator of the vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Vehicle cooling systems often utilize ambient air to dissipate heat from radiator and condenser components of the vehicle cooling systems. Most vehicle cooling systems arrange the radiator and condenser in parallel so that ambient air passes first through one component and then through the other component. Unfortunately, this type of configuration can reduce the efficiency at which heat is removed from the second component as the ambient air arrives at the first component at a substantially higher temperature than it does at the second component. Furthermore, stacking the components in parallel also tends to require a large block of space in the vehicle immediately adjacent to an opening capable of drawing ambient air into the vehicle. For many designs the only feasible place to locate this area is at the front of the vehicle, which can preclude the placement of other large components in that location. Consequently, alternate designs that accommodate different component placements and have increased heat rejection capabilities are desirable. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    This paper describes various embodiments that relate to cooling components of a vehicle. 
         [0005]    In a first embodiment, a vehicle cooling system is disclosed that includes the following: an air intake; ducting arranged to split air entering the air intake into multiple channels; a first heat exchanger arranged within a first channel of the channels; a second heat exchanger arranged within a second channel of the channels; a first exhaust vent oriented to exhaust air from the first channel through an upper exterior surface of a vehicle; and a second exhaust vent oriented to exhaust air from the second channel through a lower exterior surface of the vehicle. 
         [0006]    In many embodiments, the first heat exchanger is oriented substantially orthogonal with respect to the second heat exchanger. 
         [0007]    In many embodiments, the first heat exchanger is a radiator configured to dissipate heat from a motor of the vehicle. 
         [0008]    In many embodiments, the second heat exchanger can take the form of a condenser configured to dissipate heat from a cabin cooling system. 
         [0009]    In many embodiments, the vehicle cooling system also includes air movers (e.g. fans) configured to draw air into one or more of the channels. 
         [0010]    In many embodiments, the first heat exchanger is a condenser configured to dissipate heat from a cabin cooling system. 
         [0011]    In many embodiments, the second heat exchanger is a radiator configured to dissipate heat from a motor of the vehicle. 
         [0012]    In many embodiments, the second exhaust vent includes a number of flow guides configured to bias air exiting the second exhaust vent towards a rear end of the vehicle. 
         [0013]    In other embodiment a vehicle is disclosed that includes the following: an engine; an air conditioning system; an air intake disposed along a forward facing surface of the vehicle; ducting configured to distribute air received through the air intake into a plurality of channels; a condenser in thermally conductive contact with the air conditioning system and positioned within a first channel of the plurality of channels; and a radiator in thermally conductive contact with the engine and positioned within a second channel of the plurality of channels. 
         [0014]    In many embodiments, the air passing through the second channel is exhausted so that it exits the vehicle and passes over the hood of the vehicle. 
         [0015]    In many embodiments, the first channel is separate and distinct from the second channel. 
         [0016]    In many embodiments, the vehicle also includes temperature sensors configured to measure a temperature of the condenser and the radiator. The ducting can be configured to vary an amount of air entering each of the channels based on the temperatures measured by the temperature sensors. 
         [0017]    In many embodiments, a central portion of the ducting articulates in multiple directions to vary the amount of air entering each of the channels. 
         [0018]    In many embodiments, the first channel includes an exhaust vent that is arranged so that the air exiting the first channel passes over the hood of the vehicle. 
         [0019]    In yet another embodiment, an electric vehicle is disclosed and includes the following: an electric motor; an evaporator; a condenser configured to receive heat from the evaporator; and a radiator configured to receive heat from the electric motor, the radiator cooperating with the condenser to form a v-shaped structure. 
         [0020]    In many embodiments, the electric vehicle also includes an air intake; and ducting configured to distribute air received by the air intake to the condenser and the radiator. 
         [0021]    In many embodiments, the condenser and the radiator each include cooling fins configured to increase the dissipation of heat from the condenser and the radiator. 
         [0022]    In many embodiments, the ducting distributes air entering the electric vehicle through the air intake evenly between the condenser and the radiator. 
         [0023]    In many embodiments, the ducting includes an articulated portion configured to move between multiple positions to alter the distribution of air received by the condenser and the radiator. 
         [0024]    In many embodiments, the electric vehicle also includes flow guides positioned at an exhaust vent that direct the flow of air exiting the radiator along a lower surface of the electric vehicle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    The disclosure will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which: 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a vehicle suitable for use with the described embodiments; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2A  shows a cut-away perspective view of a cooling system of the vehicle depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 2B  shows a cross-sectional view of the cooling system depicted in  FIG. 2A ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 2C  shows a cross-sectional view of the vehicle depicted in  FIG. 1  and how exhausted air passes around the vehicle; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  shows exemplary cooling components associated with the condenser and the radiator; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  shows a block diagram describing interaction between a controller or processor and other components of the vehicle cooling system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    Representative applications of methods and apparatus according to the present application are described in this section. These examples are being provided solely to add context and aid in the understanding of the described embodiments. It will thus be apparent to one skilled in the art that the described embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the described embodiments. Other applications are possible, such that the following examples should not be taken as limiting. 
         [0033]    In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the description and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in accordance with the described embodiments. Although these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one skilled in the art to practice the described embodiments, it is understood that these examples are not limiting; such that other embodiments may be used, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments. 
         [0034]    The convective transfer of heat can be accomplished by passing a cool gas over a large heat emitting surface. As the difference between the temperature of the gas and the temperature of the heat emitting surface decreases the overall heat transfer efficiency is commensurably reduced. Reducing the speed of the gas flowing over the heat emitting surface can also cause substantial reductions in heat transfer efficiency as portions of the gas tend to remain in convective contact with the heat emitting surface for longer periods of time, thereby increasing the temperature of the gas and reducing the heat transfer efficiency. Consequently, stacking heat emitting surfaces in parallel, so that one stream of gas passes across both sequentially has a number of disadvantages. In particular, the second heat emitting surface has to reject heat into the stream of gas that has already received gas from the first heat emitting surface. For this reason, heat transfer out of the second heat emitting surface is commensurably less efficient. In embodiments, where the heat emitting surfaces take the form of fin stacks, the ambient air is also slowed as it flows past the fin stacks making the heat transfer characteristics even worse. 
         [0035]    One solution to this problem, in the context of a vehicle cooling system, is to configure an ambient air intake with multiple branches that each carry a portion of the air entering a vehicle to various heat emitting components within the vehicle. In this way, the heat emitting components are able to receive cooling air at the exterior temperature. Additionally, the branches allow the heat emitting to be separated and placed strategically in areas of the vehicle having space to accommodate those heat emitting components. In some embodiments, a first heat emitting component can be arranged near an upper portion of the vehicle and a second heat emitting component can be arranged near a lower portion of the vehicle. By arranging the components in this manner, heat transferred to the ambient air can be exhausted through vents leading out of upper and lower portions of a vehicle. In some embodiments, heated exhaust air from one of the heat emitting components can be exhausted towards a windshield of the vehicle to act combat fogging of the windshield of the vehicle. 
         [0036]    These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 1 -XX; however, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. 
         [0037]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary vehicle suitable for use with the described embodiments. In particular, vehicle  100  includes air intake  102  positioned along a forward facing surface of vehicle  100 . Also depicted is a hood  104  of vehicle  100  which can also be utilized as a means for directing air leaving vehicle  100 . For example, a portion of the air entering air intake  102  can be exhausted along an exterior surface of hood  104 . While a speed at which vehicle  100  has a direct effect upon a volume of air entering vehicle  100 , in some embodiments, vehicle  100  can include an internal fan that draws ambient air into air intake  102  to help facilitate cooling of internal heat emitting devices while vehicle  100  is not in motion. Vehicle  100  can also include a windshield  106 , which can also benefit from heated air leaving a cooling system of vehicle  100 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 2A  shows a cut-away perspective view of a portion of vehicle  100 . In particular,  FIG. 2A  shows air intake  102  leading into two separate ducting paths that lead to heat exchangers associated with a cooling system of vehicle  100 . For exemplary purposes the heat exchangers can be referred to as condenser  202  and radiator  204 ; however these component locations could be swapped in some designs. As depicted, a first ducting path leads to condenser  202  and a second ducting path leads to radiator  204 . By situating condenser  202  and radiator  204  in a roughly v-shaped configuration, the air redirected by ducting  206  that flows through cooling condenser  202  or radiator  204  can already be oriented towards an air exhaust duct. Flow guides  208  can be positioned at the end of the second ducting path to help bias exhausted air towards the rear of vehicle  100 . This can improve aerodynamics of vehicle  100  while vehicle  100  is in motion. Similarly the exit of the first ducting path can also include flow guides configured to direct the flow of the exhaust air in a desired direction. In some embodiments, when the windshield is in need of heating to reduce condensation, flow guides could help orient heated air towards windshield  106  of vehicle  100 . This can be particularly effective given that condenser  202  is associated with a cooling system of vehicle  100  and direction of heated air can be coordinated with output of air into the cabin of vehicle  100 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 2B  shows how once ambient air  210  enters through air intake  102  it is directed to one of condenser  202  or radiator  204  by ducting  206 . Ducting  206  has a smooth curvature at a leading edge  212  of ducting  206  that prevents the creation of turbulent flow within vehicle  100 . Ducting  206  also helps to minimize an amount of turning ambient air is forced to do after entering into ducting  206 . As depicted, ducting can be integrally formed with a portion of hood  104  and/or a bottom portion of vehicle  100 . In this way ducting  206  can be firmly locked in place during operation of vehicle  100 . The relatively straight pathways formed by a combination of ducting  206  and interior surfaces of a body of vehicle  100 , which the ambient inlet air follows through, helps to reduce pressure build up within the cooling system. The low pressure nature of the cooling system helps maintain high air speed velocities through the cooling system  200  by reducing back pressure generated within the system on account of the reduced redirection of air. This can also reduce an amount of resistance vehicle  100  encounters while driving forward, thereby reducing an amount of energy used to propel the vehicle. It should be noted that while particular angles are shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  that any angle is possible and that generally a vector normal to an inlet surface of condenser  202  has a downward facing component and an inlet surface of radiator  204  has an upward facing component. In some embodiments, leading edge  212  can be articulated, which allows leading edge  212  to adjust an amount of air flowing to the heat exchangers. For example, by articulating leading edge  212  of ducting  206  down towards the wheels of vehicle  100  an amount of air directed towards radiator  204  can be substantially reduced while an amount of air reaching condenser  202  is commensurably increased. In some situations, leading edge  212  can be reoriented to completely close the opening leading into one of the ducts. 
         [0040]      FIG. 2C  shows a high level flow pattern of air as it passes around vehicle  100 . A portion of ambient air  210  entering vehicle  100  and passing through condenser  202  exits along an exterior surface of vehicle  100  and flows smoothly over the top of vehicle  100 . A portion of ambient air  210  entering vehicle  100  and passing through radiator  204  exits along a bottom surface of vehicle  100 . In this way a flow of air entering into vehicle  100  splits in much the same way air would if it did not enter vehicle  100 . In this way, the entry of ambient air  210  into vehicle  100  can have a rather negligible effect on the aerodynamics of vehicle  100 . In some embodiments, the flow of ambient air  210  is actually less disturbed than it would be otherwise if forced above or below a front facing surface of vehicle  100  as it is allowed to turn at more gradual angles. In some embodiments, this configuration can make up for any pressure build up caused by the passage of ambient air through fins or passages of condenser  202  and radiator  204 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  shows how condenser  202  and radiator  204  respectively dissipate heat from vehicle  100 . Condenser  202  receives pressurized gas from compressor pump  302 . The pressurized gas from compressor pump  302  is then cooled by ambient air passing along a surface of condenser  202 . The surface of condenser  202  can have a complex exterior surface geometries configured to maximize an amount of the surface area exposed to ambient air  210 . For example, condenser  202  can have an array of cooling fins designed to efficiently exchange heat with ambient air  210 . The cooling system is designed to remove enough heat to transition the compressed gas into a liquid. The liquid then passes through expansion valve  304 , which both regulates an amount of liquid reaching evaporator  306  and reduces a pressure of the liquid reaching evaporator  306 . As the liquid passes through evaporator  306 , it can be used to cool air entering the cabin of vehicle  100 . The air can be cooled by forcing it across a surface of evaporator  306 . In some embodiments evaporator  306  can include a number of fins that function to increase the amount of surface area available for absorbing heat from the air blowing across it. Alternatively or additionally, the cooled liquid can be used to cool a battery providing power for vehicle  100 . It should be noted that in some embodiments, the cabin of vehicle  100  can also be heated by this system by for example reversing the flow of working fluid to create a heat pump configured to deliver heat to the cooling system. 
         [0042]      FIG. 3  also shows radiator  204  and how radiator  204  can be utilized to dissipate heat from cooling fluids routed through motor  310 . In some embodiments, motor  310  can be an electric motor. Pump  312  keeps the cooling fluids circulating between radiator  204  and motor  310 . In this way, heat generated by motor  310  can be transferred to and dissipated by radiator  204 , which convectively transfers heat to ambient air  210 . It should be noted that in some embodiments, radiator  204  can be configured in the same way as condenser  202  causing phase changes in the heat transferring fluid flowing between motor  310  and radiator  204 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 4  shows a block diagram representing controller  402  and how based upon signals received from various temperature sensors along the lines of a cabin air temperature sensor  404  and/or a motor temperature sensor  406 , controller  402  can be configured to instruct air ducting controls  408  to change a configuration of the air ducting so that an amount of air delivered to each of condenser  202  and radiator  204  is changed. This is possible in account of each heat exchanger having its own conduit for receiving cooling air. In some embodiments, priority is given to whichever one of the heat exchangers is the hottest. In other embodiments, priority is given to any heat exchanger exceeding a predetermined maximum temperature for that particular heat exchanger. It should also be appreciated that in some embodiments more than one heat exchanger can be positioned within the vehicle and that the air ducting configuration controls could be capable of routing air to three or more heat exchangers. 
         [0044]    The various aspects, embodiments, implementations or features of the described embodiments can be used separately or in any combination. Various aspects of the described embodiments can be implemented by software, hardware or a combination of hardware and software. The described embodiments can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable medium for controlling manufacturing operations or as computer readable code on a computer readable medium for controlling a manufacturing line. The computer readable medium is any data storage device that can store data which can thereafter be read by a computer system. Examples of the computer readable medium include read-only memory, random-access memory, CD-ROMs, HDDs, DVDs, magnetic tape, and optical data storage devices. The computer readable medium can also be distributed over network-coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. 
         [0045]    The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the described embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the described embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.