DE102018126681A1 - Power module for an electric drive, in particular range extender for electric vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a power module, in particular range extender for electric vehicles, comprising a power unit with an internal combustion engine and a generator, further comprising at least one tank for receiving fuel or operating fluids for the operation of the power unit, wherein the power unit and the tank connected by means of fastening means and the power unit is at least partially enclosed by the tank.

Description

The invention relates to a power module for an electric drive, in particular range extender for electric vehicles, comprising a power unit with an internal combustion engine and a generator, further comprising at least one tank for receiving fuel or operating fluids for the operation of the power unit.

STATE OF THE ART

Power modules for electric drives are nowadays used in particular in electrically powered motor vehicles, where they function as range extenders. The background to this use is the comparatively low range of today's electric vehicles due to the limited battery capacity, which represents a major obstacle to their commercial mass deployment. Such power modules include a power unit of an internal combustion engine and a generator driven therefrom, which is optionally used for charging the batteries of the electric vehicle or preferably directly supplied with electrical power to the electric drive. Another integral part of the power modules are tanks for holding fuel and / or operating fluids, e.g. Coolant or lubricant, dar. Fuel tanks are usually large-volume body, which occupy a significant proportion of the volume dimension of the power modules. In order to keep out the noise emissions generated by the internal combustion engine during operation of the power unit as well as the waste heat from the periphery and the passenger compartment, housing is usually provided for shielding at the power modules.

For example, the CN 107448290 A a range extender for an electric drive, which includes tanks for fuel and lubricating fluid. The air-cooled internal combustion engine is enclosed by a housing for acoustic insulation, outside of which the tanks are arranged. The supply of fuel and lubricant takes place here through openings held in the housing.

The EP 2 393 688 B1 discloses a power plant with a fuel tank, which is particularly intended for use as a range extender of an electrically powered vehicle. Internal combustion engine and generator of the power generation unit are arranged within an air-flowed cooling chamber with a cylindrical cross-section, separately from the fuel tank is located. For the purpose of sound insulation is further an enclosing outer housing available.

A disadvantage of power modules for electric drives according to the prior art is their comparatively large dimensions, whereby the integration of the modules is made difficult especially in small cars. The need to use a separate housing to insulate sound emissions and waste heat contributes to this adversely large volume size and is also an undesirable weight and cost factor.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a power module for an electric drive, with which the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art are overcome, and thus to propose a development for reducing the volume dimension of the power module. Furthermore, the degree of insulation should be improved in terms of noise emissions and waste heat. This object is achieved on the basis of a power module according to the preamble of claim 1 in conjunction with the characterizing features. Advantageous developments are specified in the dependent claims.

The invention includes the technical teaching that the power unit and the tank are connected by fastening means and the power unit is at least partially enclosed by the tank.

The basic idea of the invention is a more compact arrangement of power unit and tank in a common modular construction, in which the tank encapsulates the power unit in a capsule-like manner and thus contributes to a significant reduction of the space and installation dimension of the entire power module. A further reduction of the volume dimension of the power module is achieved by the fact that in the inventive arrangement of the tank around the power unit around the use of an additional housing can be partially or completely omitted, since the tank itself serves to shield noise and waste heat of the internal combustion engine.

In an advantageous embodiment of the power module according to the invention, the outside of a wall of the tank facing the power unit is adapted to the contour of the power unit. As a result, the gap remaining between the power unit and the tank can be minimized, as a result of which, on the one hand, the volume dimension of the power module is reduced and, on the other hand, an effective shielding effect is produced by the tank. The tank is thus advantageously formed such that it at least partially forms a housing around the power unit and performs a function as noise and heat insulation.

To further increase the insulating property, the volume of the tank is advantageously at least partially filled with a foam which, as a porous medium, insulates against both noise and waste heat.

In this case, the use of an open-cell foam is advantageous, that is, such a foam having an open porosity, and thereby is suitable for receiving a fluid. The use of such open-pore or open-cell foam has the further advantage that disturbing splashing noises are avoided by free-floating liquid in the tank volume.

The insulation against noise and waste heat is alternatively or additionally realized by an applied on the inside of a power unit facing wall portion of the tank insulation.

Also, this insulating layer advantageously comprises an open-cell foam and is thus suitable for receiving a fluid, so that the reduction of the effective tank contents associated with the use of an insulating layer is reduced.

To further increase the noise insulation effect, the outside of a wall unit of the tank facing the power unit advantageously has a surface texture with acoustic diffusers. Acoustic diffusers dissipate incident sound waves and prevent the generation of directional reflections or unwanted resonances.

A particularly effective insulation of the waste heat of the power unit is preferably achieved in that the outside of a power unit facing wall portion of the tank has a heat protection layer. Such a thermal protection layer is, for example, an oxide ceramic applied by thermal spraying.

The tank according to the invention is advantageously produced by means of an injection molding process. Suitable materials are, for example, thermosetting plastics in question. It may furthermore be advantageous to manufacture the tank by means of multi-component injection molding in order to impart a layer or sandwich structure to a wall section of the tank facing the power unit, which consists of the actual tank wall and inner and / or outer insulating layers and / or protective layers ,

list of figures

• 1 eine schematische Querschnittsansicht einer Ausführungsform des erfindungsgemäßen Leistungsmoduls.

Further, measures improving the invention will be described in more detail below together with the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the single figure. It shows:

• 1 a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the power module according to the invention.

1 shows a cross-sectional view of a power module according to the invention 1 comprising a power unit 2 , a tank 3 as well as fasteners 4 ,

The power unit 2 includes an internal combustion engine 21 , what a 1 schematically by a cylinder housing 211 and a crankcase disposed thereon 212 is represented as well as one to the crankcase 212 subsequent generator 22 ,

The operational effect of the power unit 2 Consists in the conversion of chemical energy bound in a fuel into mechanical energy by means of the internal combustion engine 21 and subsequently into electrical energy through the generator 22 , The supply voltage provided in this way then serves in the electric vehicle for charging the batteries or is preferably used directly for the operation of the electric motor.

The Tank 3 serves as a fuel reservoir for the operation of the power unit 2 , In the present embodiment, the tank is 3 with a foam 33 essentially completely filled, with the foam 33 has an open porosity, which allows the penetration of liquid fuel. The effect of the foam 33 consists on the one hand in an insulation of noise and waste heat, which by the power unit 2 during operation of the power module 1 be generated, and in preventing unwanted operating noise by freely inside the tank 3 sloshing fuel.

It is in the choice of the foam 33 or a porosity to ensure that there is a sufficiently large capacity for receiving liquid fuel and appropriate rates when filling and emptying the tank with fuel are ensured. For filling is the tank 3 with a tank neck 31 provided, which through the tank lid 32 is closed.

To improve the insulating properties against noise emissions and waste heat is on the inside 3b of the power unit 2 facing wall portion of the tank 3 an additional damp course 34 attached, which preferably has a higher specific degree of insulation than the foam 33 ,

The fasteners 4 extend for example between power unit 2 and that of the power unit 2 facing wall section of the tank 3 , The fasteners 4 are preferably carried out detachable in order to carry out any maintenance or replacement measures can. In a further advantageous embodiment are in the fastener 4 Damping device integrated against mechanical vibration to a vibrational decoupling of power unit 2 and tank 3 to achieve.

The outside 3a that of the power unit 2 facing wall of the tank 3 has a contour that corresponds to the contour 2a the power unit 2 , formed by the topography of cylinder housing 211 , Crankcase 212 and generator 22 is similar. This contoured, box-like cladding of the power unit 2 through the tank 3 provides the desired minimization of the space or installation dimension of the entire power module 1 and results in a very effective insulation of noise and waste heat through the tank 3 , Preferably, the distance between power unit amounts 2 and outside 3a the tank 3 along this cabinet-like section to 1cm to 5 cm.

The invention is not limited in its execution to the above-mentioned preferred embodiment. Rather, a number of variants is conceivable, which makes use of the illustrated solution even with fundamentally different types of use. All of the claims, the description or the drawings resulting features and / or advantages, including structural details or spatial arrangements may be essential to the invention both in itself and in various combinations.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

power module

2

power unit

2a

Contour curve power unit

21

Internal combustion engine

211

cylinder housing

212

crankcase

22

generator

3

tank

3a

Tank outside

3b

Tank inside

31

Tankstutzen

32

filler cap

33

foam

34

damp course

4

fastener

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• CN 107448290 A [0003]
• EP 2393688 B1 [0004]

Claims (10)

Power module (1), in particular range extender for electric vehicles, comprising a power unit (2) with an internal combustion engine (21) and with a generator (22), further comprising at least one tank (3) for receiving fuel or operating fluids for the operation of the power unit ( 2), characterized in that the power unit (2) and the tank (3) by means of fastening means (4) are interconnected and the power unit (2) of the tank (3) is at least partially enclosed. Power module (1) after Claim 1 , characterized in that the outer side (3a) of the power unit (2) facing wall portion of the tank (3) is adapted to the contour (2a) of the power unit (2). Power module (1) after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the tank (3) at least partially forms a housing for the power unit (2). Power module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the volume of the tank (3) is at least partially filled with a foam (33). Power module (1) after Claim 4 , characterized in that the foam (33) has an open porosity and is designed to receive the fuel or the operating fluid. Power module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inside (3b) of the power unit (2) facing wall portion of the tank (3) has an insulating layer (34). Power module (1) after Claim 6 , characterized in that the insulating layer (34) comprises an open-cell foam and is designed to receive the fuel or the operating fluid. Power module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer side (3a) of a power unit (2) facing wall portion of the tank (3) has a surface texture with acoustic diffusers. Power module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer side (3a) of a power unit (2) facing wall portion of the tank (3) has a heat protection layer. Power module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tank (3) is produced by means of injection molding and / or has a wall with a layer structure.

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