Auxiliary coolant pump with bypass

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11448117-B2
Application number	US-202117165086-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2021
Priority date	Feb 2, 2021
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

An auxiliary coolant pump for circulating a coolant in a vehicle thermal system having a main coolant pump includes a housing, an impeller, a motor selectively driving the impeller, a coolant inlet configured to receive the coolant, a coolant outlet fluidly coupled to the coolant inlet, and a bypass passage fluidly coupled between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet. When the main coolant pump is on, the auxiliary coolant pump is selectively turned off such that coolant flows through the bypass passage to reduce or eliminate restriction of the coolant flow rate in the thermal system. When the main coolant pump is off, the auxiliary coolant pump is selectively turned on such that coolant continues to flow through at least a portion of the thermal system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An auxiliary coolant pump for circulating a coolant in a vehicle thermal system having a main coolant pump, the auxiliary coolant pump comprising:
a housing and an impeller;
a motor selectively driving the impeller;
a coolant inlet configured to receive the coolant, and a coolant outlet fluidly coupled to the coolant inlet; and
an internal bypass passage disposed within the housing and fluidly coupled between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet to bypass the impeller, wherein when the main coolant pump is on, the auxiliary coolant pump is selectively turned off such that coolant flows through the bypass passage to reduce or eliminate restriction of the coolant flow rate in the thermal system, and
wherein when the main coolant pump is off, the auxiliary coolant pump is selectively turned on such that coolant continues to flow through at least a portion of the thermal system.

2. The auxiliary coolant pump of claim 1 , further comprising a valve disposed within the internal bypass passage to facilitate preventing fluid flow from the coolant outlet to the coolant inlet, and allowing fluid flow from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet.

3. The auxiliary coolant pump of claim 2 , wherein the valve includes a check ball and valve seat.

4. The auxiliary coolant pump of claim 2 , wherein the valve is a flapper valve.

5. The auxiliary coolant pump of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to selectively operate the motor to drive the impeller, wherein the controller is configured to operate the motor when an engine of the vehicle is off and the vehicle thermal system demands passenger cabin heating.

6. The auxiliary coolant pump of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to selectively operate the motor to drive the impeller, wherein the controller is configured to operate the motor during a cold start when coolant flow stagnation is desired in an engine of the vehicle for rapid heating thereof.

7. A thermal system for a vehicle, the thermal system comprising:
a coolant circuit configured to thermally couple to a vehicle engine for cooling thereof;
a main coolant pump configured to circulate coolant through the coolant circuit;
a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the coolant circuit; and
an auxiliary coolant pump having an impeller configured to circulate coolant through the coolant circuit, and a housing defining a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet, and an internal bypass passage fluidly coupled between the inlet and the outlet to bypass the impeller,
wherein when the main coolant pump is on, the auxiliary coolant pump is selectively turned off such that coolant flows through the bypass passage to reduce or eliminate restriction of the coolant flow rate in the coolant circuit, and
wherein when the main coolant pump is off, the auxiliary coolant pump is selectively turned on to continue to provide coolant flow to the heat exchanger.

8. The thermal system of claim 7 , further comprising a valve disposed within the internal bypass passage to facilitate preventing fluid flow from the coolant outlet to the coolant inlet.

9. The thermal system of claim 8 , wherein the valve allows fluid flow from the coolant inlet to the coolant outlet.

10. The thermal system of claim 7 , wherein the heat exchanger is a cabin heat exchanger configured to provide heating to a passenger cabin of the vehicle, wherein the main coolant pump is turned off and the auxiliary coolant pump is turned on when the vehicle engine is stopped during a stop/start mode.

11. The thermal system of claim 7 , wherein the heat exchanger is configured to provide heating to a component of the thermal system, wherein the main coolant pump is turned off during a cold start to provide coolant flow stagnation in the vehicle engine for rapid heating thereof, and the auxiliary coolant pump is turned on to continue to provide coolant flow to the heat exchanger.

12. The thermal system of claim 7 , wherein the coolant circuit is a high temperature circuit having a first branch conduit and a second branch conduit.

13. The thermal system of claim 12 , further comprising a high temperature radiator thermally coupled to the first branch conduit.

14. The thermal system of claim 13 , wherein the heat exchanger is a passenger cabin heat exchanger thermally coupled to the second branch conduit.

15. The thermal system of claim 12 , further comprising a thermostat coupled to the high temperature circuit and configured to receive coolant flow from the engine.

16. The thermal system of claim 15 , wherein the first branch conduit is fluidly coupled between the thermostat and the main coolant pump.

17. The thermal system of claim 16 , wherein the second branch conduit is fluidly coupled between the thermostat and the main coolant pump.

18. A vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a passenger cabin heat exchanger configured to provide heating to a passenger cabin;
a controller; and
a thermal system configured to provide passenger cabin heating during an engine stop/start, the thermal system comprising:
a coolant circuit thermally coupled to the engine and the passenger cabin heat exchanger, the coolant circuit including a first loop and a second loop;
a main coolant pump configured to circulate coolant through the coolant circuit; and
an auxiliary coolant pump configured to circulate coolant through the first loop and having a housing, an impeller, an internal bypass passage within the housing configured to bypass the impeller, and a one-way valve disposed within the internal bypass passage,
wherein the auxiliary coolant pump and the passenger cabin heat exchanger are disposed on the first loop, and a radiator is disposed on the second loop,
wherein coolant in the first loop passes through the engine, the auxiliary pump, and the passenger cabin heat exchanger before returning through the main coolant pump,
wherein coolant in the second loop passes through the engine and the radiator before returning through the main coolant pump, and

wherein the controller is configured to:
selectively turn on the auxiliary coolant pump when the main coolant pump is turned off and the vehicle engine is stopped during a stop/start mode to continue to provide heating to the passenger cabin; and
when the main coolant pump is on, selectively turn off the auxiliary coolant pump such that coolant flows through the internal bypass passage to reduce or eliminate restriction of the coolant flow rate in the thermal system.

Assignees

• Bartlett Matthew T
• Fca Us Llc

Inventors

• Bartlett Matthew T

Classifications

• F01P7/165

  characterised by systems with two or more loops · CPC title

• F01P2005/105

  Using two or more pumps · CPC title

• F01P7/161 Primary

  by bypassing pumps · CPC title

• F01P2005/125

  Driving auxiliary pumps electrically · CPC title

• F01P3/20

  Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine (F01P3/22 takes precedence) · CPC title