Thermal management
There is no uniform definition of thermal management .
From a thermodynamic point of view, thermal management is generally understood to mean the control of energy flows (especially heat flows).
From a technical perspective, the vehicle is meant by thermal management the energy optimization of the heat balance in the motor vehicle for the purpose of fuel economy and emission reduction , the warranty of the engine cooling at each operating point and to optimize the interior comfort. The aim is therefore to optimally guide the heat flows (heat supply and dissipation in the internal combustion engine , gearbox or passenger compartment) in order to reduce fuel consumption and increase interior comfort .
"Heat" (thermodynamically correct is actually: internal energy) is transported by means of a "heat carrier" (coolant or air) mostly by forced convection ( heat transport through material flows) from one body to another in order to increase the temperature of a component / material regulate.
Heat is transferred from one medium / fluid to another via heat exchangers ( cooler , charge air cooler , EGR cooler, air conditioning condenser ) .
The material flows of the fluids are maintained by pumps (mostly centrifugal pumps , more rarely axial pumps ) or fans (axial fan as cooling fan; radial fan as fan fan for the interior). A sufficient cooling air mass flow is often ensured by the airflow , so that many vehicles are equipped with electrically driven cooling fans.
literature
- Karl-Heinz Dietsche, Thomas Jäger, Robert Bosch GmbH: Automotive pocket book. 25th edition, Friedr. Vieweg & Sohn Verlag, Wiesbaden, 2003, ISBN 3-528-23876-3