Combined cooling and water braking system for a vehicle, and a method for cooling a propulsion device of a vehicle and water braking a pair of wheels of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11697341-B2
Application number	US-202017085208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2020
Priority date	Nov 1, 2019
Publication date	Jul 11, 2023
Grant date	Jul 11, 2023

Abstract

A combined cooling and water braking system for a vehicle comprises a first water recirculation loop having a first heat exchanger configured to cool water flowing in the first water recirculation loop, the first water recirculation loop comprising a water conduit for transporting heat away from a propulsion device configured to generate a propulsion power for the vehicle. A second water recirculation loop having a second heat exchanger is configured to cool water flowing in the second water recirculation loop. A retarder is configured to be coupled to a pair of wheels of the vehicle. The second water recirculation loop may be selectively used for cooling the propulsion device and for providing water to the retarder for water braking. There is also provided a method for cooling a propulsion device of a vehicle and water braking a pair of wheels of a vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A combined cooling and water braking system for a vehicle, comprising:
a first water recirculation loop having a first heat exchanger configured to cool water flowing in the first water recirculation loop, the first water recirculation loop comprising a water conduit for transporting heat away from a propulsion device configured to generate a propulsion power for the vehicle;
a second water recirculation loop having a second heat exchanger configured to cool water flowing in the second water recirculation loop; and
a retarder configured to be coupled to a pair of wheels of the vehicle, the retarder being switchable between:
an inactive state in which it does not affect the rotational speed of the wheels; and
an active state in which the retarder causes the rotational speed of the wheels to be reduced,

wherein the second water recirculation loop comprises:
a first water conduit portion connecting the second heat exchanger and the retarder for enabling water braking when the retarder is in its active state; and
a closable second water conduit portion extending from the second heat exchanger for transporting heat away from the propulsion device,

wherein the system is switchable between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein:
in the first mode of operation the retarder is in the inactive state and the second water conduit portion of the second water recirculation loop together with the water conduit of the first water recirculation loop transport heat away from the propulsion device; and
in the second mode of operation the retarder is in the active state and the water conduit of the first water recirculation loop transports heat away from the propulsion device, whereas the second water conduit portion of the second water recirculation loop is closed, preventing water to flow from the second heat exchanger to the propulsion device.

2. The system of claim 1 , comprising a control unit configured to perform the switching between the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the system is further operable in a third mode of operation following the second mode of operation and before returning to the first mode of operation, wherein in the third mode of operation the retarder is, or has been, switched from the active state used in the second mode of operation to the inactive state, and the second water conduit portion of the second water recirculation loop is maintained closed.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the control unit is configured to switch from the third mode of operation to the first mode of operation when the temperature of the water in the second water recirculation loop has fallen to or below a predetermined value.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the area of the second heat exchanger is larger than the area of the first heat exchanger.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second water recirculation loop comprises a first valve located upstream of the propulsion device, wherein the first valve is open in the first mode of operation and closed in the second mode of operation.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the second water recirculation loop comprises a second valve located downstream of the propulsion device, wherein the second valve is open in the first mode of operation and closed in the second mode of operation.

8. A vehicle comprising a combined cooling and water braking system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
a first water recirculation loop having a first heat exchanger configured to cool water flowing in the first water recirculation loop, the first water recirculation loop comprising a water conduit for transporting heat away from a propulsion device configured to generate a propulsion power for the vehicle;
a second water recirculation loop having a second heat exchanger configured to cool water flowing in the second water recirculation loop; and
a retarder configured to be coupled to a pair of wheels of the vehicle, the retarder being switchable between:
an inactive state in which it does not affect the rotational speed of the wheels; and
an active state in which the retarder causes the rotational speed of the wheels to be reduced,

wherein the second water recirculation loop comprises:
a first water conduit portion connecting the second heat exchanger and the retarder for enabling water braking when the retarder is in its active state; and
a closable second water conduit portion extending from the second heat exchanger for transporting heat away from the propulsion device,

wherein the system is switchable between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, wherein:
in the first mode of operation the retarder is in the inactive state and the second water conduit portion of the second water recirculation loop together with the water conduit of the first water recirculation loop transport heat away from the propulsion device; and
in the second mode of operation the retarder is in the active state and the water conduit of the first water recirculation loop transports heat away from the propulsion device, whereas the second water conduit portion of the second water recirculation loop is closed, preventing water to flow from the second heat exchanger to the propulsion device.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the propulsion device comprises a fuel cell stack, the vehicle further comprising one or more storage tanks configured to contain hydrogen gas and to provide hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stack.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the vehicle is a truck comprising:
a cab having a front and a rear, and further having two lateral sides interconnecting the front and the rear of the cab;
the storage tanks, which are secured behind the rear of the cab;
the propulsion device; and
a wall provided behind the cab and laterally of the storage tanks, the wall having its main extension in a vertical plane, wherein the wall houses the second heat exchanger.

11. The vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein the propulsion device is a battery-powered electric motor.

12. A method for cooling a propulsion device of a vehicle and water braking a pair of wheels of a vehicle, comprising:
providing a first water recirculation loop having a first heat exchanger configured to cool water flowing in the first water recirculation loop, the first water recirculation loop comprising a water conduit for transporting heat away from a propulsion device configured to generate a propulsion power for the vehicle;
coupling a retarder to a pair of wheels of the vehicle; and
providing a second water recirculation loop having a second heat exchanger configured to cool water flowing in the second water recirculation loop, the second water recirculation loop comprising:
a first water conduit portion connecting the second heat exchanger and the retarder for enabling water braking when the retarder is in an active state; and
a closable second water conduit portion extending from the second heat exchanger for transporting heat away from the propulsion device,

in a first mode of operation, setting or maintaining the retarder in an inactive state in which it does not affect the rotational speed of the wheels;
in the first mode of operation, using both the first and the second water recirculation loop for transporting heat away from the propulsion device,
in a second mode of operation, setting or maintaining the retarder in an active state in which the retarder causes the rotational speed of the wheels to be reduced; and
in the second mode of operation, using only the first water recirc

Assignees

• Volvo Truck Corp

Inventors

• Andersson Arne
• Lundgren Staffan

Classifications

• B60T13/10

  with fluid assistance, drive, or release · CPC title

• B60L50/60

  using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75) · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M8/04701

  Temperature · CPC title

• H01M8/04029

  Heat exchange using liquids · CPC title