Two zone radiator cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12312993-B2
Application number	US-202318325775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2023
Priority date	May 30, 2023
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

The invention is to utilize one radiator instead of two to cool two separate vehicle cooling systems. The main embodiment is a single radiator cooling system that partitions the physical radiator into two separate surface areas that are dedicated for each of the two respective circuits. A processor can control an actuator that drives a screw and plunger mechanism to push and pull a plunger. The plunger separates the two surface areas so as the plunger is moved, a corresponding surface area is increased or decreased for a cooling circuit. An increase in the surface area can provide more cooling for that circuit as the fluid has more core area to travel through. Temperature sensors can provide data to a processor that can adjust the actuator to provide cooling relief to the circuit where its most required.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a radiator comprising an actuator, an input tank, an output tank that is parallel to the input tank, and a core between the input tank and the output tank,
wherein the input tank comprises a first input spigot and a second input spigot, wherein the first input spigot and second input spigot are respectively located closer to opposite ends of the input tank,
wherein the output tank comprises a first output spigot and a second output spigot, wherein the first output spigot and second output spigot are respectively located closer to opposite ends of the output tank,
wherein the core comprises tubes respectively connecting the input tank and the output tank at different positions along respective lengths of the input tank and output tank,
wherein the input tank comprises first plunger inside the input tank, wherein the first plunger is connected to a first screw connecting mechanism configured to move the first plunger up and down at least a portion of the length of the input tank,
wherein the output tank comprises second plunger inside the output tank, wherein the second plunger is connected to a second screw connecting mechanism configured to move the second plunger up and down at least a portion of the length of the output tank,
wherein the first screw connecting mechanism and the second screw connecting mechanism are connected to a gear and shaft mechanism configured to synchronously drive the first screw connecting mechanism and the second screw connecting mechanism;

a first cooling circuit with comprising a first 3-way valve and a first temperature sensor, wherein the first cooling circuit is connected to the radiator via the first input spigot and the first output spigot;
a second cooling circuit connected to the radiator via the second input spigot and the second output spigot;
an actuator configured to drive the gear and shaft mechanism; and
a controller configured to control the actuator to position the first plunger and second plunger in corresponding positions within the input tank and the output tank to adjust respective amounts of fluid flowing through the core directed to the first output spigot and the second output spigot based on a temperature reading of the first temperature sensor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the radiator lowers a temperature of the fluid running through the radiator.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second cooling circuit comprises a second temperature sensor and a second 3-way valve.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second cooling circuit is connected to an air conditioning system.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first cooling circuit is connected to an electric drive system.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the input tank and the output tank are designed as straight tubes.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tubes are surrounded by thin metal fins.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller, in response to the temperature reading satisfying a defined criterion indicating that additional cooling is needed in the first cooling circuit, controls the actuator to move the positions of the first plunger and second plunger respectively closer to the second input spigot and the second output spigot.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller, in response to the temperature reading satisfying a defined criterion indicating that less cooling is needed in the first cooling circuit, controls the actuator to move the positions of the first plunger and second plunger respectively closer to the first input spigot and the first output spigot.

10. A vehicle, comprising:
a cooling system, comprising:
a radiator comprising an actuator, an input tank, an output tank that is parallel to the input tank, and a core between the input tank and the output tank,
wherein the input tank comprises a first input spigot and a second input spigot, wherein the first input spigot and second input spigot are respectively located closer to opposite ends of the input tank,
wherein the output tank comprises a first output spigot and a second output spigot, wherein the first output spigot and second output spigot are respectively located closer to opposite ends of the output tank,
wherein the core comprises tubes respectively connecting the input tank and the output tank at different positions along respective lengths of the input tank and output tank,
wherein the input tank comprises first plunger inside the input tank, wherein the first plunger is connected to a first screw connecting mechanism configured to move the first plunger up and down at least a portion of the length of the input tank,
wherein the output tank comprises second plunger inside the output tank, wherein the second plunger is connected to a second screw connecting mechanism configured to move the second plunger up and down at least a portion of the length of the output tank,
wherein the first screw connecting mechanism and the second screw connecting mechanism are connected to a gear and shaft mechanism configured to synchronously drive the first screw connecting mechanism and the second screw connecting mechanism;

a first cooling circuit comprising a first 3-way valve and a first temperature sensor, wherein the first cooling circuit is connected to the radiator via the first input spigot and the first output spigot;
a second cooling circuit connected to the radiator via the second input spigot and the second output spigot;
an actuator configured to drive the gear and shaft mechanism; and
a controller configured to control the actuator to position the first plunger and second plunger in corresponding positions within the input tank and the output tank to adjust respective amounts of fluid flowing through the core directed to the first output spigot and the second output spigot based on a temperature reading of the first temperature sensor.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the radiator lowers a temperature of the fluid running through the radiator.

12. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the second cooling circuit comprises a second temperature sensor and a second 3-way valve.

13. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the second cooling circuit is connected to an air conditioning system.

14. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the first cooling circuit is connected to an electric drive system.

15. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein input tank and the output tank are designed as straight tubes.

16. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the tubes are surrounded by thin metal fins.

17. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the controller, in response to the temperature reading satisfying a defined criterion indicating that additional cooling is needed in the first cooling circuit, controls the actuator to move the positions of the first plunger and second plunger respectively closer to the second input spigot and the second output spigot.

18. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the controller, in response to the temperature reading satisfying a defined criterion indicating that less cooling is needed in the first cooling circuit, controls the actuator to move the positions of the first plunger and second plunger respectively closer to the first input spigot and the first output spigot.

19. A method, comprising:
obtaining, by a processor of a system, a temperature reading from a temperature sensor of a cooling system, wherein the cooling system comprises:
a radiator comprising an actuator, an input tank, an output tank that is parallel to the input tank, and a core between the

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Olsen Hans Erik

Classifications

• F01P11/029

  Expansion reservoirs · CPC title

• F01P2007/146

  using valves · CPC title

• F01P2025/34

  Heat exchanger incoming fluid temperature · CPC title

• F01P2007/168

  By varying the cooling capacity of a liquid-to-air heat-exchanger · CPC title

• F01P3/18 Primary

  Arrangements or mounting of liquid-to-air heat-exchangers (such arrangements on cylinders or cylinder heads F01P3/04; relative to vehicles B60K11/04) · CPC title