Apparatus for controlling engine cooling of a vehicle, a system having the same and a method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11499469-B2
Application number	US-202017035013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2020
Priority date	Jun 15, 2020
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

An engine cooling control apparatus, a system including the same, and a method thereof provide an engine cooling control apparatus including a processor configured to calculate a required fan rotation speed for controlling a cooling fan based on proportional integral (PI) control and a storage configured to store data acquired by the processor and an algorithm for driving the processor. The processor classifies a plurality of control regions depending on a coolant temperature and adjusts and outputs the required fan rotation speed for each of the control regions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An engine cooling control apparatus comprising:
a processor configured to calculate a required fan rotation speed for controlling a cooling fan based on proportional integral (PI) control; and
a storage configured to store data acquired by the processor and an algorithm for driving the processor,
wherein the processor classifies a plurality of control regions depending on a coolant temperature and adjusts and outputs the required fan rotation speed for each of the control regions, and
wherein the processor controls driving of the cooling fan by using a required fan rotation speed that is inputted by a user in a case of a low temperature region where the coolant temperature is smaller than a predetermined first threshold value.

2. The engine cooling control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the processor classifies the control regions into:
an intermediate temperature region where the coolant temperature is equal to or greater than the first threshold value or smaller than a predetermined second threshold value;
the low temperature region where the coolant temperature is smaller than the first threshold value; and
a high temperature region where the coolant temperature is equal to or greater than the second threshold value.

3. The engine cooling control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein
the processor reduces a required fan rotation speed calculated based on the PI control in the case of the intermediate temperature region.

4. The engine cooling control apparatus of claim 3 , wherein
the processor reduces the required fan rotation speed by multiplying the required fan rotation speed calculated based on the PI control by a predetermined attenuation coefficient for each vehicle speed.

5. The engine cooling control apparatus of claim 4 , wherein
the attenuation coefficient has a value of 1 or less.

6. The engine cooling control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the processor outputs a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for driving an electronic fan clutch depending on the required fan rotation speed.

7. The engine cooling control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the processor controls the driving of the cooling fan by using the required fan rotation speed based on the PI control in the case of the high temperature region.

8. The engine cooling control apparatus of claim 7 , wherein
the processor calculates a fan rotation speed of the cooling fan by using an engine rotation speed and a pulley ratio.

9. A vehicle system comprising:
an engine cooling control apparatus configured to calculate a required fan rotation speed for controlling a cooling fan based on proportional integral (PI) control, to classify a plurality of control regions depending on a coolant temperature, and to adjust and output the required fan rotation speed for each of the control regions; and
an electronic fan clutch configured to output a control signal for controlling a cooling fan depending on the required fan rotation speed, and
wherein the engine cooling control apparatus controls driving of the cooling fan by using a required fan rotation speed that is inputted by a user in the case of a low temperature region where the coolant temperature is smaller than a predetermined first threshold value.

10. The vehicle system of claim 9 , wherein
the engine cooling control apparatus classifies the control regions into:
an intermediate temperature region where the coolant temperature is equal to or greater than the first threshold value or smaller than a predetermined second threshold value;
the low temperature region where the coolant temperature is smaller than the first threshold value; and
a high temperature region where the coolant temperature is equal to or greater than the second threshold value.

11. The vehicle system of claim 10 , wherein
the engine cooling control apparatus further:
reduces the required fan rotation speed calculated based on the PI control in the case of the intermediate temperature region;
and
controls the driving of the cooling fan by using the required fan rotation speed based on the PI control in the case of the high temperature region.

12. An engine cooling control method comprising:
calculating a required fan rotation speed for controlling a cooling fan based on proportional integral (PI) control;
classifying a plurality of control regions depending on a coolant temperature; and
adjusting and outputting the required fan rotation speed for each of the control regions,
wherein the adjusting and outputting of the required fan rotation speed includes controlling driving of the cooling fan by using a required fan rotation speed that is inputted by a user in the case of a low temperature region where the coolant temperature is smaller than a predetermined first threshold value.

13. The engine cooling control method of claim 12 , wherein
the classifying of the control regions depending on the coolant temperature includes:
determining a region where the coolant temperature is equal to or greater than the first threshold value or smaller than a predetermined second threshold value as an intermediate temperature region;
determining a region where the coolant temperature is smaller than the first threshold value as the low temperature region; and
determining a region where the coolant temperature is equal to or greater than the second threshold value as a high temperature region.

14. The engine cooling control method of claim 13 , wherein
the adjusting and outputting of the required fan rotation speed further includes
reducing the required fan rotation speed calculated based on the PI control in the case of the intermediate temperature region;
and
controlling the driving of the cooling fan by using the required fan rotation speed based on the PI control in the case of the high temperature region.

15. The engine cooling control method of claim 14 , wherein
the reducing of the required fan rotation speed includes reducing the required fan rotation speed by multiplying the required fan rotation speed calculated based on the PI control by a predetermined attenuation coefficient for each vehicle speed.

16. The engine cooling control method of claim 15 , wherein
the attenuation coefficient has a value of 1 or less.

17. The engine cooling control method of claim 12 , wherein
a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal for driving an electronic fan clutch is outputted depending on the required fan rotation speed.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Chu Ji Ro

Classifications

• F01P5/02

  Pumping cooling-air; Arrangements of cooling-air pumps, e.g. fans or blowers · CPC title

• F01P2025/32

  Engine outcoming fluid temperature · CPC title

• F01P2025/66

  Vehicle speed · CPC title

• F01P2005/046

  with electrical pump drive · CPC title

• F01P7/042 Primary

  using fluid couplings (couplings or clutches of this type per se F16D35/00) · CPC title