DESC:BACKGROUND
Technical Field
[001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle, and more specifically, relates to a system for thermal management of one or more components of the vehicle and a method for the same.
Description of the Related Art
[002] Thermal energy is an unavoidable byproduct of any system (E.g., machines, devices, vehicles, etc.). Thermal energy can negatively affect the performance of the same system and nearby systems as well. Effective thermal management is crucial for maintaining the thermal level of the system within a safety/operating range to prevent overheating and malfunction of the system. In a conventional approach, thermal management relied on air cooling systems (E.G., one or more external fans) and complex liquid cooling systems (e.g., coolants) to dissipate heat from various components individually. However, both methods can be expensive and lead to a complex setup.
[003] In other conventional approaches, convergent-divergent nozzles are employed for thermal management. Placing the one or more convergent-divergent nozzles around the system offers some cooling effect, which may increase the system's complexity and cost. Additionally, the efficient distribution of air to the convergent-divergent nozzles to maintain thermal level is a complex and hectic task. Additionally, thermal management using convergent-divergent nozzles is still inefficient when it comes to subsonic vehicles.
[004] Accordingly, there arises a need for an improved system and method for thermal management of one or more components of a vehicle, and therefore addressing the aforementioned issues.

SUMMARY
[005] In view of the foregoing, embodiments herein provide a system for thermal management of one or more components of a vehicle. The system includes at least one convergent member, a mid-member, and at least one divergent member. The at least one convergent member includes a collecting member and a partitioning member. The collecting member includes a first predetermined shape configured to collect airflow from surroundings of the vehicle. The partitioning member includes a second predetermined shape configured to streamline and to increase velocity of, and decrease pressure of the airflow collected by the collecting member to obtain a streamlined, velocity-increased and pressure-decreased airflow. The mid-member is coupled to the at least one convergent member to receive the streamlined, velocity-increased and pressure-decreased airflow. The mid-member includes an accelerating member configured to further accelerate the streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow by reducing an area to obtain an accelerated velocity airflow. The at least one divergent member is coupled to the mid-member to receive the accelerated velocity airflow. The at least one divergent member is further configured to decrease velocity and increase pressure of the accelerated velocity airflow to obtain a decelerated velocity airflow. The at least one divergent member is further configured to direct the decelerated velocity airflow to an air-directing member. The air-directing member includes a third predetermined shape configured to efficiently direct the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components of the vehicle to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components of the vehicle.
[006] In some embodiments, the air-directing member is positioned adjacent to or in proximity to the one or more components of the vehicle to enhance thermal dissipation by efficiently directing the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components of the vehicle.
[007] In some embodiments, the one or more components of the vehicle include any heat-generating part of the vehicle.
[008] In some embodiments, the first predetermined shape of the collecting member includes a bell mouth shape or a functionally equivalent shape.
[009] In some embodiments, the second predetermined shape of the partitioning member includes a rectangle, circle, quadrilateral, pentagon, ellipse, triangle, hexagon, octagon, nonagon, or decagon.
[0010] In some embodiments, the third predetermined shape of the air-directing member includes any shape that can efficiently direct the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components of the vehicle to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components of the vehicle.
[0011] In one aspect, a method for thermal management of one or more components of a vehicle. The method includes collecting, by a first predetermined shape of a collecting member, airflow from surroundings of the vehicle. The collecting member includes the first predetermined shape. The method includes streamlining, increasing velocity of, and decreasing pressure of the airflow collected by the collecting member, by a second predetermined shape of a partitioning member, to obtain a streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow. The partitioning member includes the second predetermined shape. The method includes receiving the streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow at a mid-member coupled to the collecting member and the partitioning member. The method includes accelerating, by an accelerating member, the streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow by reducing an area to obtain an accelerated velocity airflow. The mid-member includes the accelerating member. The method includes receiving the accelerated velocity airflow at at least one divergent member coupled to the mid-member. The method includes decreasing velocity and increasing pressure of the accelerated velocity airflow, by the at least one divergent member, to obtain a decelerated velocity airflow. The method includes directing, by the at least one divergent member, the decelerated velocity airflow to an air-directing member. The method includes efficiently directing, by a third predetermined shape of the air-directing member, the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components of the vehicle to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components of the vehicle. The air-directing member includes the third predetermined shape.
[0012] In some embodiments, the method further includes the step of: positioning the air-directing member adjacent to or in proximity to the one or more components of the vehicle to enhance thermal dissipation by efficiently directing the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components of the vehicle.
[0013] In some embodiments, the one or more components of the vehicle include any heat-generating part of the vehicle.
[0014] In some embodiments, the first predetermined shape of the collecting member includes a bell mouth shape or a functionally equivalent shape.
[0015] In some embodiments, the second predetermined shape of the partitioning member includes a rectangle, circle, quadrilateral, pentagon, ellipse, triangle, hexagon, octagon, nonagon, or decagon.
[0016] In some embodiments, the third predetermined shape of the air-directing member includes any shape that can efficiently direct the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components of the vehicle to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components of the vehicle.
[0017] These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[0018] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0019] FIG. 1A illustrates a vehicle equipped with a system for thermal management of one or more components according to embodiments as disclosed herein;
[0020] FIG. 1B and 1C illustrate a side view and a top view of the system for thermal management of the one or more components of the vehicle according to embodiments as disclosed herein; and
[0021] FIG. 2A and 2B illustrate a method for thermal management of the one or more components of the vehicle according to embodiments as disclosed herein.
[0022] It may be noted that to the extent possible, like reference numerals have been used to represent like elements in the drawing. Further, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that elements in the drawing are illustrated for simplicity and may not have been necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimension of some of the elements in the drawing may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of aspects of the invention. Furthermore, the elements may have been represented in the drawing by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to the understanding of the embodiments of the invention so as not to obscure the drawing with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0023] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[0024] Various embodiments provide a system to decrease the complexity and cost of thermal management. In addition to that, the system maintains the optimum temperature level in one or more components of a vehicle even at subsonic speeds.
[0025] As mentioned, there remains a need for an improved system and method for thermal management of one or more components of a vehicle. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 2, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown preferred embodiments.
[0026] FIG. 1A illustrates a vehicle 100 equipped with a system 102 for thermal management of one or more components 118 according to embodiments as disclosed herein. The vehicle 100 includes the one or more components 118. In one embodiment, the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100 include any heat-generating part of the vehicle 100. In another embodiment, the heat-generating part of the vehicle 100 may include, but not limited to, a battery pack, a powertrain, or one or more controller units of the vehicle 100. The one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100 release thermal energy during operation. The system 102 is positioned in the vehicle 100 to maintain the optimum temperature level of the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100.
[0027] In one embodiment, the vehicle 100 may include any number of wheels, including but not limited to two, three, or four. In another embodiment, the vehicle 100 includes, but is not limited to, an electric vehicle (EV) or an Internal combustion (IC) engine vehicle. In yet another embodiment, the electric vehicle includes, but is not limited to, a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), and a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV).
[0028] FIG. 1B and 1C illustrate a side view and a top view of the system 102 for thermal management of the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100 according to embodiments as disclosed herein. The system 102 is mounted on the vehicle 100 and positioned near the one or more components 118 in such a way as to cool the one or more components 118. In some embodiments, the system 102 is positioned under a floorboard. The thermal management system 102 includes at least one convergent member 104, a mid-member 106, and at least one divergent member 108.
[0029] The at least one convergent member 104 includes a collecting member 110 and a partitioning member 112. The collecting member 110 includes a first predetermined shape configured to collect airflow from surroundings of the vehicle 100. In one embodiment, the collecting member 110 collects the airflow from a wheel well of the vehicle 100.
[0030] Further, the collecting member 110 is capable of receiving the airflow from the surroundings. In one embodiment, the collecting member 110 is capable of receiving the airflow from an external airflow-generating source. In another embodiment, the external airflow-generating source may include, but not be limited to, a fan.
[0031] In one embodiment, the first predetermined shape of the collecting member 110 includes a bell mouth shape. In another embodiment, the first predetermined shape of the collecting member 110 includes any shape that is functionally equivalent to the bell mouth shape. The first predetermined shape of the collecting member 110 makes the airflow passing over a carefully profiled, curved surface adhere to that surface, creating a near vacuum that pulls in substantial amounts of the airflow. As used herein, the bell mouth is defined as a shape with a tapered expanding or reducing opening at the end. The first predetermined shape of the collecting member 110 may be capable of changing shape to efficiently collect the airflow.
[0032] The partitioning member 112 includes a second predetermined shape configured to streamline and to increase velocity of, and decrease pressure of the airflow collected by the collecting member 110 to obtain a streamlined, velocity-increased and pressure-decreased airflow. In one embodiment, the partitioning member 112 includes a rectangle, circle, quadrilateral, pentagon, ellipse, triangle, hexagon, octagon, nonagon, or decagon. In one embodiment, the second predetermined shape of the partitioning member 112 may be capable of changing shape to efficiently streamline, increase velocity, and decrease pressure of the airflow.
[0033] The mid-member 106 is coupled to the at least one convergent member 104 to receive the streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow. The mid-member 106 includes an accelerating member 116 configured to further accelerate the streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow by reducing an area of the airflow to obtain an accelerated velocity airflow. In one embodiment, the accelerating member 116 may include, but is not limited to, an external airflow-generating source. In another embodiment, the external airflow-generating source may include, but not be limited to, a fan.
[0034] The at least one divergent member 108 is coupled to the mid-member 106 to receive the accelerated velocity airflow. The at least one divergent member 108 is further configured to decrease velocity and increase pressure of the accelerated velocity airflow to obtain a decelerated velocity airflow. Further, the at least one divergent member 108 is configured to direct the decelerated velocity airflow to an air-directing member 120. The air-directing member 120 includes a third predetermined shape configured to efficiently direct the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100 to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100.
[0035] In one embodiment, the third predetermined shape of the air-directing member 120 includes any shape that can efficiently direct the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100 to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100. In one embodiment, the third predetermined shape of the air-directing member 120 may be capable of changing shape to direct the airflow in various directions to dissipate the thermal energy of the one or more components 118.
[0036] The air-directing member 120 is positioned adjacent to or in proximity to the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100 to enhance thermal dissipation by efficiently directing the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100. In one embodiment, the air-directing member 120 is located on/near the one or more components 118 to efficiently direct the air to the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100. The at least one divergent member 108 may be positioned in proximity to one or more components 118 to dissipate thermal energy.
[0037] FIG. 2A and 2B illustrate a method 200 for thermal management of the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100 according to embodiments as disclosed herein. In step 202, the method 200 includes collecting airflow from surroundings of the vehicle 100. In one specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the airflow is collected from the surroundings of the vehicle 100 by a first predetermined shape of a collecting member 110. The collecting member 110 includes the first predetermined shape.
[0038] In step 204, the method 200 also includes streamlining the airflow collected by the collecting member 110, increasing velocity of the airflow, and decreasing pressure of the airflow to obtain a streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow. In one specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the airflow collected by the collecting member 110 is streamlined, velocity increased, and pressure decreased to obtain the streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow by a second predetermined shape of a partitioning member 112. The partitioning member 112 includes the second predetermined shape.
[0039] In step 206, the method 200 also includes receiving the streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow at a mid-member 106 coupled to the collecting member 110 and the partitioning member 112.
[0040] In step 208, the method 200 also includes accelerating the streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow by reducing an area of the airflow to obtain an accelerated velocity airflow. In one specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow is accelerated by reducing the area of the airflow to obtain the accelerated velocity airflow by an accelerating member 116. The mid-member 106 includes the accelerating member 116.
[0041] In step 210, the method 200 also includes receiving the accelerated velocity airflow at at least one divergent member coupled to the mid-member 106.
[0042] In step 212, the method 200 also includes decreasing velocity and increasing pressure of the accelerated velocity airflow to obtain a decelerated velocity airflow. In one specific embodiment of the present disclosure, velocity of the accelerated velocity airflow is decreased, and pressure of the accelerated velocity airflow is increased to obtain the decelerated velocity airflow by the at least one divergent member 108.
[0043] In step 214, the method 200 also includes directing the decelerated velocity airflow to an air-directing member 120. In one specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the decelerated velocity airflow is directed to an air-directing member 120 by the at least one divergent member 108.
[0044] In step 216, the method 200 also includes efficiently directing the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100 to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100. In one specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the decelerated velocity airflow is directed to the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100 to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components 118 of the vehicle 100 by a third predetermined shape of the air-directing member 120. The air-directing member 120 includes the third predetermined shape.
[0045] The present disclosure decreases the complexity and cost by providing a simple system 102 for thermal management. In addition to that, the present disclosure maintains the optimum temperature level in the one or more components 118 of the vehicles 100 even at subsonic speeds.
[0046] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Improvements and modifications may be incorporated herein without deviating from the scope of the invention.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
Vehicle 100.
System 102.
At least one convergent member 104.
Mid-member 106.
At least one divergent member 108.
Collecting member 110.
Partitioning member 112.
Accelerating member 116.
One or more components 118.
Air-directing member 120.
,CLAIMS:CLAIMS
I/We claim:
1. A system (102) for thermal management of one or more components (118) of a vehicle (100), the system (102) comprising:
at least one convergent member (104) comprising:
a collecting member (110) comprises a first predetermined shape configured to collect airflow from surroundings of the vehicle (100); and
a partitioning member (112) comprises a second predetermined shape configured to streamline and to increase velocity of, and decrease pressure of the airflow collected by the collecting member (110) to obtain a streamlined, velocity-increased and pressure-decreased airflow;
a mid-member (106) is coupled to the at least one convergent member (104) to receive the streamlined, velocity-increased and pressure-decreased airflow, wherein the mid-member (106) comprises an accelerating member (116) configured to further accelerate the streamlined, velocity-increased and pressure-decreased airflow by reducing an area to obtain an accelerated velocity airflow; and
at least one divergent member (108) is coupled to the mid-member (106) to receive the accelerated velocity airflow, wherein the at least one divergent member (108) is further configured to:
decrease velocity and increase pressure of the accelerated velocity airflow to obtain a decelerated velocity airflow; and
direct the decelerated velocity airflow to an air-directing member (120), wherein the air-directing member (120) comprises a third predetermined shape configured to efficiently direct the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100) to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100).

2. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air-directing member (120) is positioned adjacent to or in proximity to the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100) to enhance thermal dissipation by efficiently directing the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100).

3. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100) comprise any heat-generating part of the vehicle (100).

4. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first predetermined shape of the collecting member (110) comprises a bell mouth shape or a functionally equivalent shape.

5. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second predetermined shape of the partitioning member (112) comprises a rectangle, circle, quadrilateral, pentagon, ellipse, triangle, hexagon, octagon, nonagon, or decagon.

6. The system (102) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third predetermined shape of the air-directing member (120) comprises any shape that can efficiently direct the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100) to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100).

7. A method (200) for thermal management of one or more components (118) of a vehicle (100), the method (200) comprising:
collecting, by a first predetermined shape of a collecting member (110), airflow from surroundings of the vehicle (100), wherein the collecting member (110) comprises the first predetermined shape;
streamlining, increasing velocity of, and decreasing pressure of the airflow collected by the collecting member (110), by a second predetermined shape of a partitioning member (112), to obtain a streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow, wherein the partitioning member (112) comprises the second predetermined shape;
receiving the streamlined, velocity-increased, and pressure-decreased airflow at a mid-member (106) coupled to the collecting member (110) and the partitioning member (112);
accelerating, by an accelerating member (116), the streamlined, velocity-increased and pressure-decreased airflow by reducing an area to obtain an accelerated velocity airflow, wherein the mid-member (106) comprises the accelerating member (116);
receiving, the accelerated velocity airflow at at least one divergent member (108) coupled to the mid-member (106);
decreasing velocity and increasing pressure of the accelerated velocity airflow, by the at least one divergent member (108), to obtain a decelerated velocity airflow;
directing, by the at least one divergent member (108), the decelerated velocity airflow to an air-directing member (120); and
efficiently directing, by a third predetermined shape of the air-directing member (120), the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100) to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100), wherein the air-directing member (120) comprises the third predetermined shape.

8. The method (200) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the method (200) further comprises the step of: positioning the air-directing member (120) adjacent to or in proximity to the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100) to enhance thermal dissipation by efficiently directing the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100).

9. The method (200) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100) comprise any heat-generating part of the vehicle (100).

10. The method (200) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first predetermined shape of the collecting member (110) comprises a bell mouth shape or a functionally equivalent shape.

11. The method (200) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second predetermined shape of the partitioning member (112) comprises a rectangle, circle, quadrilateral, pentagon, ellipse, triangle, hexagon, octagon, nonagon, or decagon.

12. The method (200) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the third predetermined shape of the air-directing member (120) comprises any shape that can efficiently direct the decelerated velocity airflow to the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100) to dissipate heat that is generated by the one or more components (118) of the vehicle (100).