Model based control of pumps in multi-path cooling systems

A method of operating a multi-pump thermal system for a vehicle, the system including a coolant circuit having a first loop and a second loop, a first pump disposed on the coolant circuit, a second pump disposed on the second loop, wherein coolant exiting the first pump is split into a first portion that is directed to the first loop, and a second portion that is directed to an inlet of the second pump, a first component on the first loop configured to be cooled by the first portion of coolant passing through the first loop, a second component on the second loop configured to be cooled by the second portion of coolant passing through the second loop, and a controller in signal communication with the first and second pumps, the method comprising:

• via the controller, utilizing a physics-based model to determine speeds of the first and second pumps to generate predetermined coolant flow targets in the coolant circuit to meet predetermined cooling requirements of the first and second components, wherein the controller determines the speeds of the first and second pumps without a lookup table;
• and
• operating, via the controller, the first and second pumps at the determined speeds.