Method and system for engine cooling system control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9726069-B2
Application number	US-201414583328-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2014
Priority date	Dec 26, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

Methods and systems are providing for improving engine coolant level estimation to reduce engine overheating. The level of fluid in a coolant overflow reservoir is inferred based on the fluid level in a hollow vertical standpipe fluidically coupled to the reservoir at top and bottom locations. An ultrasonic sensor positioned in a recess at the bottom of the vertical standpipe transmits signals intermittently, receives their echoes upon reflection from the coolant surface, and estimates the fluid level in the standpipe based on echo times.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An engine coolant system, comprising:
a coolant overflow container having an internal recess to hold fluid; a vertical, hollow tube positioned external to the container and including an internal recess to hold fluid, a bottom-most level of the recess positioned vertically below a bottom-most level of the internal recess of the container;
an ultrasonic sensor coupled to the bottom-most level of the internal recess of the tube; and a housing sealed to a bottom wall of the tube to form a bottom of the recess.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first hose fluidly coupling a top portion of the container to a top portion of the vertical tube, and a second hose fluidly coupling the bottom-most level of the container to the bottom-most level of the vertical tube such that a level of fluid in the container equilibrates with a level of fluid in the vertical tube.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising the sensor positioned at the bottom-most level of the vertical tube facing upwards and a processor communicatively coupled to the sensor in the internal recess with instructions stored in memory for estimating the level of fluid in the vertical tube based on sensor output.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first hose is positioned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vertical tube, the first hose directly coupling the top portion of the vertical tube to the top portion of the container with no intermediate connector, wherein the vertical tube is spaced away from the container.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the second hose couples the bottom-most level of the vertical tube to the bottom-most level of the container via an intermediate connector such that a first portion of the second hose on a connector side is aligned parallel to the vertical tube, while a second portion of the second hose on a tube side is aligned perpendicular to the vertical tube.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the coolant overflow container is a degas bottle fluidly coupled to a radiator via a pressure relief valve, the degas bottle receiving coolant from the radiator when a pressure in the radiator is higher than a threshold, the degas bottle flowing coolant to the radiator when the pressure in the radiator is lower than the threshold.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal upward through the vertical tube, the ultrasonic signal emitted via an emitting surface oriented perpendicularly with a vertical axis of the vertical tube.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to estimate the level of fluid in the vertical tube based on a time elapsed since transmission of the ultrasonic signal by the sensor and receipt of an echo of the transmitted ultrasonic signal at the sensor.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein a diameter of the top portion of the vertical tube is smaller than a diameter of the bottom-most level of the vertical tube.

10. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second hose is coupled to the vertical tube at a location above the internal recess housing the sensor.

11. The system of claim 3 , wherein the internal recess of the vertical tube is configured as a carry-down structure, the recess coupled in the vertical tube via a spring retaining clip, the spring retaining clip configured to couple the recess in the vertical tube and provide retention of fluid, the carry-down structure positioned coaxial to the vertical tube, each of the sensor and the processor positioned in a depression of the carry-down structure.

12. The system of claim 2 , wherein the top portion of the vertical tube includes a protrusion offset on one side of the vertical tube, an axis of the protrusion at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the vertical tube, the angle based on an angle of the vertical tube relative to a vehicle cross-beam, the protrusion including a receptacle for receiving a fastener, the fastener coupling the vertical tube to the cross-beam.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a triangular wedge, the wedge mounted within a lattice of the vehicle cross-beam at a location where the vertical tube is mounted to the cross-beam, the wedge mounted via a clip, the clip including an aperture for receiving the fastener coupling the vertical tube to the cross-beam.

14. A vehicle coolant system, comprising: a degas bottle;
a hollow vertically-oriented tube positioned completely external to the degas bottle:
an outer structure having a narrower diameter at a top portion and a wider diameter at a bottom portion;
an inner structure coupled to the bottom portion of the outer structure via a spring retaining clip, the inner structure coaxial to the outer structure and having a recess for housing each of a processor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a temperature sensor;
a protrusion coupled on a side of the tube facing the degas bottle for mounting the tube to a cross-beam of a vehicle;
a circular cap coupled to the top portion of the outer structure, an inner face of the circular cap having a smooth flat closed surface parallel to a bottom-most level of the vertically-oriented tube;
a first hose coupling the top portion of the outer structure to a top portion of the degas bottle;
a second hose coupling the inner structure to a bottom portion of the degas bottle via a T-connector, wherein a fluid level in the degas bottle equilibrates with a fluid level in the vertical tube via fluid transfer through each of the first and second hoses, and wherein the bottom portion of the degas bottle is positioned higher than a bottom portion of the inner structure of the vertical tube; and
a controller with computer readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory for:
receiving, from the processor, an indication of the fluid level in the degas bottle; and
adjusting engine operation responsive to the indication.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor is configured to:
transmit an ultrasonic signal towards the top portion of the vertical tube; and
receive an echo of the transmitted signal following reflection off a coolant-air interface.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured with code for:
estimating the fluid level in the vertical tube based on a duration elapsed since transmission of the ultrasonic signal by the ultrasonic sensor and receipt of the echo at the ultrasonic sensor; and
inferring the fluid level in the degas bottle based on the estimated fluid level in the vertical tube.

17. A method for an engine coolant system, comprising:
transmitting an ultrasonic signal from a sensor located within a recess at a bottommost level of a vertical, hollow tube towards a top of the tube, the tube fluidically coupled to a coolant overflow reservoir in an engine under-hood compartment such that the bottom-most level of the vertical tube is above a bottom-most level of the coolant overflow reservoir, the vertical, hollow tube positioned completely external to the coolant overflow reservoir wherein the vertical, hollow tube is spaced away from the coolant overflow reservoir and has a housing sealed at a bottom of the tube forming the bottom of the tube;
receiving an echo of the ultrasonic signal at the sensor upon reflection off a circular cap coupled to the top of the vertical tube, the cap having a smooth flat surface parallel to the bottom-most level of the vertical, hollow tube;
estimating a duration elapsed since the transmission of the ultrasonic signal and receipt of the echo at the sensor; and
inferring a level of coolant in

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Styron Joshua Putman
• Andersen Erik Thomas
• Goodwin William Russell
• Lock Jeffrey John
• Rollinger John Eric
• Khami Roger
• Beltramo Joel John

Classifications

• F01P7/165

  characterised by systems with two or more loops · CPC title

• F01P2025/62

  Load · CPC title

• F01P7/16

  by thermostatic control · CPC title

• F01P11/029

  Expansion reservoirs · CPC title

• F01P2025/32

  Engine outcoming fluid temperature · CPC title