Engine coolant cooling system for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11060442-B2
Application number	US-201916700026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2019
Priority date	Jun 10, 2019
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

The present invention relates to an engine coolant cooling system for a vehicle, and provides an engine coolant cooling system for a vehicle, which can increase the heat-dissipation performance of a radiator if necessary without increasing the size of the radiator, securing the cooling performance of the coolant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An engine coolant cooling system for a vehicle, the engine coolant cooling system comprising:
a radiator including an inlet tank provided with an inlet nipple for inflow of coolant, an outlet tank provided with an outlet nipple for discharging the coolant, and a radiator core including a plurality of coolant passages connected between the inlet tank and the outlet tank to heat-dissipate the coolant;
an inlet valve unit mounted in an internal flow path of the inlet tank to selectively divide the internal flow path of the inlet tank into a first inlet flow path fluidically-communicating with the inlet nipple and a second inlet flow path separated from the inlet nipple;
an outlet valve unit mounted in an internal flow path of the outlet tank to selectively divide the internal flow path of the outlet tank into a first outlet flow path fluidically-communicating with the outlet nipple and a second outlet flow path not fluidically-communicating with the outlet nipple; and
a controller configured for controlling operations of the inlet valve unit and the outlet valve unit according to a temperature of the coolant,
wherein a predetermined passage among the plurality of coolant passages connected to the second outlet flow path is connected to the first inlet flow path, and a coolant passage not connected to the first inlet flow path among the plurality of coolant passages connected to the second outlet flow path is connected to the second inlet flow path,
wherein the controller is configured to selectively operate the inlet valve unit to divide the internal flow path of the inlet tank into the first inlet flow path and the second inlet flow path, and configured to selectively operate the outlet valve unit to divide the internal flow path of the outlet tank into the first outlet flow path and the second outlet flow path, when the temperature of the coolant is equal to or higher than a first reference temperature,
wherein the controller is configured to not operate the inlet valve unit and the outlet valve unit, when the temperature of the coolant is lower than the first reference temperature,
wherein an engine water pump and an electronic water pump for circulating the coolant are mounted between the radiator and an engine, and the electronic water pump is driven according to the temperature of the coolant to increase a flow rate of the coolant circulated in the engine and the radiator by the engine water pump, and
wherein the controller is configured to operate the engine water pump and does not operate the electronic water pump, when the temperature of the coolant is lower than the first reference temperature.

2. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the coolant passage not connected to the second outlet flow path among the plurality of coolant passages connected to the second inlet flow path is connected to the first outlet flow path.

3. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of coolant passages is mounted and connected in a line between the inlet tank and the outlet tank.

4. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is configured to drive the engine water pump and the electronic water pump, when the temperature of the coolant becomes equal to or higher than a second reference temperature, which has been set higher than the first reference temperature.

5. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 4 ,
wherein the controller is configured to not operate the inlet valve unit and the outlet valve unit when the temperature of the coolant is equal to or higher than the second reference temperature.

6. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 4 ,
wherein the controller is configured to operate the inlet valve unit and the outlet valve unit while driving the engine water pump and the electronic water pump, when the temperature of the coolant is equal to or higher than a third reference temperature, which has been set higher than the second reference temperature.

7. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein an inlet membrane provided with an inlet flow hole is mounted between the first inlet flow path and the second inlet flow path, and the inlet flow hole is open or closed by the inlet valve unit.

8. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 1 ,
wherein an outlet membrane provided with an outlet flow hole is mounted between the first outlet flow path and the second outlet flow path, and the outlet flow hole is open or closed by the outlet valve unit.

9. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the inlet valve unit includes:
an inlet valve rotatable in the inlet flow hole to open or close the inlet flow hole; and
an inlet motor coupled to the inlet valve and controlled by the controller to rotate the inlet valve at a predetermined angle at which the inlet flow hole is open or closed.

10. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 9 ,
wherein an inlet O-ring is mounted on an external circumferential surface of the inlet valve, and the inlet O-ring seals the inlet flow hole when the inlet flow hole is closed by the inlet valve.

11. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 9 ,
wherein the inlet valve is provided with an inlet stopper rotated integrally with the inlet valve, and the inlet stopper stops rotation of the inlet valve while being locked by a surface of the inlet membrane when the inlet valve closes the inlet flow hole.

12. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the outlet valve unit includes:
an outlet valve rotatable in the outlet flow hole to open or close the outlet flow hole; and
an outlet motor coupled to the outlet valve and controlled by the controller to rotate the outlet valve at a predetermined angle at which the outlet flow hole is open or closed.

13. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 12 ,
wherein an outlet O-ring is mounted on an external circumferential surface of the outlet valve, and the outlet O-ring seals the outlet flow hole when the outlet flow hole is closed by the outlet valve.

14. The engine coolant cooling system for the vehicle of claim 12 ,
wherein the outlet valve is provided with an outlet stopper rotated integrally with the outlet valve, and the outlet stopper stops rotation of the outlet valve while being locked by a surface of the outlet membrane when the outlet valve closes the outlet flow hole.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Jeong Jae Eun
• Park Nam Ho
• Jeong Seong Bin

Classifications

• F28F27/02

  for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels ({static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026}; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12) · CPC title

• F28F9/0209

  having only transversal partitions · CPC title

• F02D2009/0223

  Cooling water temperature · CPC title

• F01P5/12

  Pump-driving arrangements · CPC title

• F01P2007/146

  using valves · CPC title