Method and device for operating a heat accumulator in a motor vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorHans Guenter Quix
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and a device for operating a heat accumulator in a motor vehicle are provided. When the driver switches off the ignition, it is determined on the basis of the current coolant temperature whether there is a need for heat accumulation at this time and whether the benefit thereof depends on when the internal combustion engine is activated again. If the response to both of these is positive the driver is requested to state whether heat accumulation is to be carried out now. Heat accumulation is carried out or is not carried out depending on the driver's response.
Claims18
A method for operating a heat accumulator in a motor vehicle, wherein when a driver switches off an ignition, determining on a basis of a current coolant temperature (i) whether heat accumulation is needed at this time and (ii) whether a benefit thereof depends on when an internal combustion engine is activated again, wherein if both (i) and (ii) are positive, requesting the driver to state whether heat accumulation is to be carried out now, and wherein heat accumulation is carried out or is not carried out depending on the driver's response to the request.
A method for operating a heat accumulator in a vehicle comprising:
- carrying out heat accumulation after receiving confirmation from a driver's response to a request regarding whether heat accumulation is to be carried out presently, the request made based on a present coolant temperature after an ignition is switched off when heat accumulation is presently needed and when a heat accumulation benefit depends on when an engine is reactivated.
A method for operating a heat accumulator in fluid communication with a coolant system of an internal combustion engine in a vehicle comprising:
- (i) in response to an ignition being switched off, determining if heat accumulation is presently beneficial based on a current coolant temperature in the engine, heat currently stored in the heat accumulator, and an ambient temperature;
- (ii) determining if a heat accumulation benefit is dependent on when the engine is reactivated based on a period of time that the vehicle is to remain non-operational;
- (iii) requesting a driver to confirm if heat accumulation is to be carried out now;
- and
- (iv) carrying out heat accumulation in the heat accumulator in response to the driver confirming the request.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.