Cooling and Thermoelectric Power Generating System for Vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016347152-A1
Application number	US-201414559698-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 3, 2014
Priority date	May 8, 2014
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cooling and thermoelectric power generating system for a vehicle may include a low temperature radiator disposed at an ambient air intake which is configured to allow ambient air in front of the vehicle to be introduced to an engine room, a coolant line adapted that coolant passing through the low temperature radiator is circulated again through the low temperature radiator via a water-cooled condenser, a refrigerant line adapted that refrigerant is flowed through the condenser, and a thermoelectric generator adapted that coolant flowing through the coolant line and refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant line are passed therethrough, in which the thermoelectric generator performs thermoelectric generation by using temperature difference between coolant flowing through the coolant line and refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant line.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cooling and thermoelectric power generating system for a vehicle comprising:
a low temperature radiator disposed at an ambient air intake which is configured to allow ambient air in front of the vehicle to be introduced to an engine room; a coolant line adapted that coolant passing through the low temperature radiator is circulated again through the low temperature radiator via a water-cooled condenser; a refrigerant line adapted that refrigerant is flowed through the condenser; and a thermoelectric generator adapted that coolant flowing through the coolant line and refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant line are passed therethrough, wherein the thermoelectric generator performs thermoelectric generation by using temperature difference between coolant flowing through the coolant line and refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant line.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least a pair of side ducts symmetrically formed to guide ambient air in front of the vehicle toward a wheel of the vehicle, wherein an ancillary low temperature radiator is disposed at each side duct for selectively cooling coolant passing through the low temperature radiator.

3 . The system of claim 2 , the coolant line comprising:
a first coolant line adapted that coolant passing through the low temperature radiator is flowed to the condenser; a second coolant line adapted to transmit coolant exhausted from the condenser to the thermoelectric generator; a third coolant line adapted to transmit coolant passing through the thermoelectric generator to the low temperature radiator; a fourth coolant line branched from the first coolant line so as to be connected with one of the ancillary low temperature radiators and connected again with the first coolant line; and a fifth coolant line branched from the third coolant line so as to be connected with the other one of the ancillary low temperature radiators and connected again with the third coolant line.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein a first control valve is disposed at a portion that the first coolant line and the fourth coolant line are branched to each other for controlling such that coolant flowing through the first coolant line is selectively flowed through the fourth coolant line, and a second control valve is disposed at a portion that the third coolant line and the fifth coolant line are branched to each other for controlling such that coolant flowing through the third coolant line is selectively flowed through the fifth coolant line.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein a turbocharger is provided to the engine and a water-cooled intercooler is disposed at the second coolant line to cool air passing through the turbocharger such that coolant passing through the condenser cools the intercooler.

6 . The system of claim 2 , the side duct comprising:
a front duct bent by a curved line such that air flowed into the vehicle is guided toward inside in a width direction of the vehicle; and a rear duct bent toward outside in a width direction of the vehicle by a curved line such that air passed through the front duct flows toward a wheel of the vehicle.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein a guide airfoil is disposed at the rear duct so as to guide air toward a wheel of the vehicle direction.

8 . The system of claim 2 , wherein a pump is disposed on the coolant line.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein a one-way valve is provided to the coolant line for preventing backflow of coolant.

10 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the front duct and the rear duct are bent with an “S” shape such that air flowing via the ancillary low temperature radiators is not partially flowed.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nam Jongwoo
• Chung Hanshin
• Lee Joonho
• Cho Hyun

Classifications

• B60K11/08

  Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor · CPC title

• B60H1/32

  Cooling devices {(B60H1/00478, B60H1/005 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60H1/3227 Primary

  characterised by the arrangement or the type of heat exchanger, e.g. condenser, evaporator (condensed liquid drainage means B60H1/3233) · CPC title

• B60K11/04 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds · CPC title

• F25B21/02

  using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect · CPC title