US 6,868,809 B1Granted

Coolant motor fan drive

AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.

InventorNeil E. Robb

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Abstract

The control of the coolant flow is accomplished through valving or by adjusting the pumping speed of a water pump and a water motor, or a combination of all three elements. During normal operation, where engine cooling is not required, the speed control coupling maintains a slow and constant water pump speed at all engine-operating speeds. The valve is maintained to stop coolant flow from entering the radiator while allowing coolant to flow through a heater. If engine cooling is required, the valve is actuated such that coolant is circulated to the engine and through the radiator. If air conditioning is required, the speed control coupling simply increases the water pump speed and the fan speed while the valve is set to bypass coolant flow to the engine. If air conditioning and engine cooling are required, the valve is actuated to allow coolant flow to the engine.

Claims49

Dependent claims

A cooling system for an engine, the cooling system comprising:

a first coolant line coupled to the engine;
a heater element coupled to said first coolant line;
a second coolant line fluidically coupled to said first coolant line at a first end and a second end, wherein said first coolant line and said second coolant line form a continuous closed loop;
a quantity of coolant contained within said continuous closed loop;
a radiator fluidically coupled to said second coolant line between said first end and said second end;
a water pump fluidically coupled within said first coolant line and rotatably coupled to said engine;
a water motor fluidically coupled to said second coolant line between said first end and said second end;
a fan coupled to said water motor, said fan rotating to cool said radiator as a function of the flow rate of said quantity of coolant through said water motor;
a valve fluidically coupled to said second coolant line, said valve having an open position and a closed position, said closed position preventing flow of said quantity of coolant through said second coolant line and said open position allowing flow of said quantity of coolant through said second coolant line;
a pump control coupling coupled to said pump, said pump control coupling controlling the rotational rate of said water pump and said water pump impellers to pump said quantity of coolant through said second coolant line;
a belt coupled to said crankshaft pulley and said pump control coupling;
at least one temperature sensor capable of measuring engine operating temperature;
and
a controller electrically coupled to said valve and electrically coupled to said speed control coupling and electrically coupled to said at least one temperature sensor, said controller controlling the actuation of said valve and controlling the rotational rate of said speed control coupling as a function of said measured engine operating temperature.

11 more elements

A method for controlling the temperature of an engine at a current engine speed, the method comprising:

(a) providing a cooling system comprising:
a first coolant line coupled to the engine;
a heater element coupled to said first coolant line;
a second coolant line fluidically coupled to said first coolant line at a first end and a second end;
wherein said first coolant line and said second coolant line form a continuous closed loop;
a quantity of coolant contained within said continuous closed loop;
a radiator fluidically coupled to said second coolant line between said first end and said second end;
a water pump fluidically coupled within said first coolant line and rotatably coupled to said engine;
a water motor fluidically coupled to said second coolant line between said first end and said second end;
a fan coupled to said water motor, said fan rotating to cool said radiator as a function of the flow rate of said quantity of coolant through said water motor;
a valve fluidically coupled to said second coolant line, said valve having an open position and a closed position;
a pump control coupling coupled to said pump, said pump control coupling controlling the rotational rate of said water pump and said water pump impellers to pump said quantity of coolant through said second coolant line;
a belt coupled to said crankshaft pulley and said pump control coupling;
at least one temperature sensor capable of measuring engine operating temperature;
and
a controller electrically coupled to said valve and electrically coupled to said speed control coupling and electrically coupled to said at least one temperature sensor;
(b) determining an engine operating temperature at the current engine speed using said at least one temperature sensor;
(c) determining a desired operating temperature for the engine at the current engine speed;
and
(d) controlling the actuation of said valve between said closed position and said open position and controlling the rotational rate of said speed control coupling using said controller to change said engine operating temperature to said desired operating temperature at the current engine speed.

17 more elements

A method for controlling the temperature of an engine at a current engine speed having an actuated air-conditioning unit, the air-conditioning unit having a compressor and a condenser, the method comprising:

(a) providing a cooling system comprising:
a first coolant line coupled to the engine;
a heater element coupled to said first coolant line;
a second coolant line fluidically coupled to said first coolant line at a first end and a second end wherein said first coolant line and said second coolant line form a continuous closed loop;
a third coolant line fluidically coupled to said first coolant line and said second coolant line, wherein said first coolant line, said second coolant line and said third coolant line form a continuous closed loop;
a quantity of coolant contained within said continuous closed loop;
a radiator fluidically coupled to said second coolant line between said first end and said second end;
a water pump fluidically coupled within said first coolant line and rotatably coupled to said engine;
a water motor fluidically coupled to said second coolant line between said first end and said second end;
a fan coupled to said water motor, said fan rotating to cool said radiator and said condenser as a function of the flow rate of said quantity of coolant through said water motor;
a valve fluidically coupled to said second coolant line and to said third coolant line, said valve having a first open position, a second open position and a closed position, wherein said valve moves from either said first open position or said closed position to said second open position when said pilot pressure within the compressor reaches a threshold pressure level after the air-conditioner is actuated;
a pump control coupling coupled to said pump, said pump control coupling controlling the rotational rate of said water pump and said water pump impellers to pump said quantity of coolant through said second coolant line;
a belt coupled to said crankshaft pulley and said pump control coupling;
at least one temperature sensor capable of measuring engine operating temperature;
and
a controller electrically coupled to said valve, said speed control coupling, said at least one temperature sensor and the air-conditioning unit;
(b) determining an engine operating temperature at the current engine speed using said at least one temperature sensor;
(c) determining a desired operating temperature for the engine at the current engine speed;
and
(d) controlling the actuation of said valve between said second open position and said first open position to change said engine operating temperature to said desired operating temperature at the current engine speed.

17 more elements

A method for controlling the temperature of an engine at a current engine speed, the method comprising:

(a) providing a cooling system comprising:
a first coolant line coupled to the engine;
a heater element coupled to said first coolant line;
a second coolant line fluidically coupled to said first coolant line at a first end and a second end;
wherein said first coolant line and said second coolant line form a continuous closed loop;
a quantity of coolant contained within said continuous closed loop;
a radiator fluidically coupled to said second coolant line between said first end and said second end;
a dual stage water pump fluidically coupled within said first coolant line and rotatably coupled to said engine, said dual stage pump comprising a pair of independently actuated pumps;
a water motor fluidically coupled to said second coolant line between said first end and said second end;
a fan coupled to said water motor, said fan rotating to cool said radiator as a function of the flow rate of said quantity of coolant through said water motor;
a valve fluidically coupled to said second coolant line, said valve having an open position and a closed position;
a pump control coupling coupled to said pump, said pump control coupling controlling the rotational rate of said water pump and said water pump impellers to pump said quantity of coolant through said second coolant line;
a belt coupled to said crankshaft pulley and said pump control coupling;
at least one temperature sensor capable of measuring engine operating temperature;
and
a controller electrically coupled to said valve, said speed control coupling, said at least one temperature sensor, and to each of said pair of individually actuated pumps comprising said dual stage water pump;
(b) determining an engine operating temperature at the current engine speed using said at least one temperature sensor;
(c) determining a desired operating temperature for the engine at the current engine speed;
(d) controlling the actuation of said valve between said closed position and said first open position to change said engine operating temperature to said desired operating temperature at the current engine speed;
(e) controlling the rotational rate of said speed control coupling using said controller to change said engine operating temperature to said desired operating temperature at the current engine speed;
and
(f) controlling the actuation of said dual stage water pump using said controller to change said engine operating temperature to said desired operating temperature at the current engine speed.

19 more elements

A method for controlling the temperature of an engine at a current engine speed, the method comprising:

(a) providing a cooling system comprising:
a first coolant line coupled to the engine;
a heater element coupled to said first coolant line;
a second coolant line fluidically coupled to said first coolant line at a first end and a second end;
wherein said first coolant line and said second coolant line form a continuous closed loop;
a quantity of coolant contained within said continuous closed loop;
a radiator fluidically coupled to said second coolant line between said first end and said second end;
a water pump fluidically coupled within said first coolant line and rotatably coupled to said engine;
a dual stage water motor fluidically coupled to said second coolant line between said first end and said second end, said dual stage water motor comprising a pair of independently actuated water motors;
a fan coupled to said dual stage water motor, said fan rotating to cool said radiator as a function of the flow rate of said quantity of coolant through said pair of independently actuated water motors;
a valve fluidically coupled to said second coolant line, said valve having an open position and a closed position;
a pump control coupling coupled to said pump, said pump control coupling controlling the rotational rate of said water pump and said water pump impellers to pump said quantity of coolant through said second coolant line;
a belt coupled to said crankshaft pulley and said pump control coupling;
at least one temperature sensor capable of measuring engine operating temperature;
and
a controller electrically coupled to said valve, said speed control coupling, said at least one temperature sensor, and to each of said pair of individually actuated pumps comprising said dual stage water pump;
(b) determining an engine operating temperature at the current engine speed using said at least one temperature sensor;
(c) determining a desired operating temperature for the engine at the current engine speed;
(d) controlling the actuation of said valve between said closed position and said first open position to change said engine operating temperature to said desired operating temperature at the current engine speed;
(e) controlling the rotational rate of said speed control coupling using said controller to change said engine operating temperature to said desired operating temperature at the current engine speed;
(f) controlling the actuation of said water pump using said controller to change said engine operating temperature to said desired operating temperature at the current engine speed;
and
(g) controlling said engine-operating temperature to said desired temperature by actuating at least one of said pair of independently actuated water motors.

20 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.