Low ram air resistance cooling module with automatic flapper door actuation

An engine cooling module comprising:

• a shroud having at least one fan opening in a wall thereof, and at least one additional opening in the wall generally adjacent to the fan opening to permit air to pass through the shroud,
• at least one fan coupled to the shroud so as to be adjacent to the at least one fan opening to permit air moved by the fan to pass through the shroud,
• a primary drive device to drive the fan,
• closure structure associated with the additional opening and movable to prevent and permit air flow through the additional opening,
• an actuator constructed and arranged to actuate the closure structure to move the closure structure from a closed position, covering the additional opening, to an opened position, substantially uncovering the additional opening,
• a sensor constructed and arranged to detect ram air at the shroud, and
• a controller constructed and arranged to receive a signal from the sensor indicating the initial presence of ram air and, in response thereto, to send a signal to the actuator to move the closure structure to the opened position thereby increasing an open area of the shroud and thus reducing a load on the primary drive device.

An engine cooling module comprising:

• a shroud having at least one fan opening in a wall thereof, and at least one additional opening in the wall thereof generally adjacent to the fan opening to permit air to pass through the shroud,
• a fan coupled to the shroud so as to be adjacent to the fan opening to permit air moved by the fan to pass through the shroud,
• a primary drive device to drive the fan,
• closure means, associated with the additional opening, for preventing and permitting air flow through the additional opening,
• means for actuating the closure means to move the closure means from a closed position, covering the additional opening, to an opened position, substantially uncovering the additional opening,
• means for detecting ram air at the shroud, and
• controlling means for receiving a signal from the detecting means indicating the initial presence of ram air and, in response thereto, for sending a signal to the actuating means to move the closure means to the opened position thereby increasing an open area of the shroud and thus reducing a load on the primary drive device.