Axle Temperature Control

Team Members:

Mike ErwinEmery FreyBoun SinvongsaLee Zimmerman

Advisors:

Industry: Dave Ruuhela

Faculty: Lemmy Meekisho

Internal/External Search

Design Goal

•Improve Fuel Efficiently of Tractor Trailers by Heating the Differential Fluid

•At 0°C Ambient, Fluid Temp Must be 65-80°C

•Fluid Temperature Cannot Exceed 80°C in the Differential

External Search

•Prius Exhaust Heat Recovery System

Wolverine Engine Oil Heaters

•External heating element with adhesive surface

•Internal heating element combined with oil drain plug assembly

E.J. Bowman Heat Exchangers

•Removes thermal energy from exhaust gas and transfers it to water

PADI USA Inc.•Removable insulation blankets custom fit

to device

Internal SearchPotential solutions include:

• Insulation of Axle

• Electric Heating of Fluid

• Differential Case Warming with Exhaust Gas

• Heat Exchanger• Exhaust Gas Heat Exchanger• Coolant Fluid Heat Exchanger

Insulation

• Bearing losses (friction) generates ~2000W

• Better retention of this heat may be sufficient to reach temperature goal.

• Becomes a cooling problem▫Radiator▫Cool air ventilation

Electric Heater

• Simple and effective heat source

• Cheap to implement/control

• Does not harvest waste energy▫Potentially little or no overall efficiency gain

when used

• Could be part of a solution package▫Meet warm up rate requirement

© BriskHeat

Warm The Diff Case with Exhaust• Uses Waste Energy

• Offers potential for active control (gas on/off)

• Most likely would require an enclosure of

some kind

• Potentially mechanically complex

Heat Exchanger• Uses waste energy• Very Effective• Active Control

• More pieces/complexity▫Heat transfer fluid, pumps, exchangers, valves,

manifolds• Less Robust• More Cost

© Mocal Heat Exchangers

Conclusion• Many potential solutions

• Final design will be influenced by how much additional heat energy is needed

• Once scope is set, driving force for design will be balancing cost and performance

Questions?