Resonant automotive heat pump: principle of operation, efficiency, and implementation prospects

Abstract

The article investigates the concept of a resonant automotive heat pump as an innovative component of vehicle thermal management systems. The proposed system includes a heat exchanger for interaction between the working fluid and ambient air with extraction of low-grade heat, a steam engine serving as a primary or auxiliary drive in combination with an electric generator, as well as a system for preliminary cooling of the working fluid. In addition, a deep-cooling heat exchanger based on a magnetodynamic system is incorporated, which can operate either as an electric motor or as an auxiliary generator to supply power to control systems and auxiliary electrical equipment.

It has been established that the application of a resonant approach makes it possible to reduce energy losses, increase the coefficient of performance of the heat pump, and improve the overall energy efficiency of the vehicle. Particular attention is paid to the prospects of integrating resonant heat pumps into electric vehicles and hybrid transport systems in accordance with modern environmental and energy-saving requirements.

The physical principles of heat pump operation are analyzed, and the possibility of improving their efficiency through the use of resonant modes in mechanical, hydrodynamic, and electromagnetic subsystems is substantiated. A theoretical analysis of the influence of resonance on heat transfer processes and energy consumption is carried out, and a mathematical model describing the conditions for achieving the resonant operating mode of the compressor is proposed. It is shown that the use of resonant modes in combination with multi-channel energy conversion ensures improved system efficiency, intensification of heat and mass transfer processes, and reduction of energy losses. The proposed technical solution is aimed at more efficient conversion of various types of energy and a significant reduction in the weight and size characteristics of the vehicle power system.

An analysis of the physical fundamentals of heat pump operation in transport applications has been conducted, and the impact of resonant modes on improving their energy efficiency has been investigated. The feasibility of applying resonance phenomena in compressor, electromechanical, and hydrodynamic systems of vehicles is substantiated. Prospects for integrating resonant heat pumps into modern electric and hybrid vehicles are identified.