Coolant pump, especially electric convection-cooled coolant pump with integrated directional control valve, and corresponding method

A method for conveying coolant by means of a coolant pump (1) for a coolant circuit (2) of an automotive internal combustion engine (10) comprising at least a radiator circuit (4) and a bypass circuit (8), comprising the steps:

• supplying the coolant from the radiator (6) to the coolant pump (1) through an intake pipe (22) of the coolant pump housing (14) for the supply (ZK),
• supplying the coolant from the bypass circuit (8) to the coolant pump (1) of the coolant pump housing (14) through a bypass pipe (24) for the supply (ZB),
• returning the coolant from the coolant pump (1) to the automotive vehicle engine (10) through a pressure pipe (34) for the coolant return (ZM),
• circulating the coolant (1) by means of a pump impeller (32) arranged in the coolant pump housing (14) and driven by a coolant pump electric motor (26) via a pump shaft (30), wherein the engine (26) is situated in a flow of the coolant,
• adjusting the mixing ratio of the coolant flows circulating through the coolant pump by means of a directional control valve (40) integrated into the coolant pump housing (14),
• characterized in that
• the coolant arriving from the radiator (6) is supplied via the intake pipe (22) in the area (42) of the end (44) of the pump motor (26) facing away from the pump impeller (32),
• the coolant arriving from the bypass is supplied via the bypass pipe (24) in an area (42) located downstream of the intake pipe (22),
• the coolant is taken away via the pressure pipe (34) in an area (42) located downstream of the bypass pipe (24), and
• only the coolant (KZK) supplied from the radiator (6) through the intake pipe (22) as a supply (ZK) is taken in a peripheral flow (50) past the pump motor (26) through a flow channel (56) preferentially defined by the outer wall (52) of the pump motor housing (28) and the facing inner wall (54) of the pump housing (14) and/or the facing inner wall (60) of the directional control valve (40).