Cooling system for a component embedded in a vehicle and method for controlling such a system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and device for controlling a cooling system (1) installed in a vehicle (10). Specifically, the method is implemented by at least one processor and comprises receiving initial data representing the temperature of a component (11) to be cooled in the vehicle and determining an input energy quantity corresponding to a maximum energy conversion rate of the cooling system, based on an energy efficiency model associated with the cooling system as a function of temperature. The cooling system is then controlled according to the input energy quantity, for example, by controlling a mechanical actuator (12). Figure 1 (for the abstract)

Description

Title of the invention: Cooling system for a component embedded in a vehicle and method for controlling such a system. Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to methods and devices for controlling a cooling system on board a vehicle, in particular but not exclusively motor vehicles.

[0002] The invention also relates to a method for determining and using an energy efficiency model associated with a cooling system on board a vehicle. Technological background

[0003] Modern vehicles include a large number of components, for example electronic or electrical components, which heat up during use, for example due to the Joule effect when electric currents flow through them. Overheating of such a component reduces its lifespan, and its operation above a certain temperature threshold is no longer guaranteed, thus generating malfunctions in the vehicle's onboard systems that require the use of that component.

[0004] A cooling system aims to remove heat from a component to ensure its availability and reliability. Various cooling systems are generally implemented to cool components, for example, systems using a fan, which generates an airflow around the component to cool it, the air surrounding the component absorbing some of its heat.

[0005] However, the cooling system itself may have a limited lifespan, and activating the cooling system represents an energy cost. Indeed, a mechanical actuator generating an airflow, for example, consumes energy to operate.

[0006] With the aim of energy efficiency, it is therefore necessary to limit the activation of the cooling system while ensuring that the operating temperature of the component remains ideal. Summary of the present invention

[0007] One object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the technological background described above.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to improve the reliability of a component and / or a cooling system while optimizing its energy consumption.

[0009] According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a cooling system embedded in a vehicle, the method being implemented by at least one processor and comprising the following steps: - receipt of initial data representative of the temperature of a component to be cooled in the vehicle; - determination of an input energy quantity corresponding to a maximum energy conversion rate of the cooling system from an energy efficiency model associated with the cooling system as a function of temperature; - Control of the cooling system based on the amount of input energy.

[0010] Such a method makes it possible to control the cooling of the component in such a way as to guarantee its optimal performance and lifespan while using as little energy as possible, in other words, its availability and reliability. Indeed, the input energy or energy consumed for controlling the cooling system is defined in such a way as to optimize the energy conversion rate, thus avoiding any superfluous use of energy and therefore any unnecessary cooling according to the energy efficiency model.

[0011] The cooling system control corresponding to the cooling system activation command defines the duration and power of this activation. It must therefore be implemented at the right time and with the right intensity to guarantee the operating temperature of the cooling system component and thus maximize its lifespan while minimizing energy costs.

[0012] According to one variant, the process further comprises the following steps: - receipt of second data representative of usage conditions, and - Determining a user profile from a set of user profiles based on the second set of data, the energy efficiency model being a function of the user profile.

[0013] According to another variant of the process, the energy efficiency model is constructed from an analytical model.

[0014] According to a further variant of the process, the analytical model is constructed from numerical models and / or results of physical tests.

[0015] According to yet another variant of the method, the energy efficiency model comprises a first and a second function, • the first function describing a relationship between temperature and a flow rate supplied by a mechanical actuator to dissipate heat from the component, and • the second function describing a relationship between the input energy supplied to the mechanical actuator and the flow rate.

[0016] According to yet another variant of the process, the first function is defined according to a level of reliability of the component.

[0017] According to another variant of the process, the second function describes a conversion of the input energy into a kinematic power generating the flow rate.

[0018] According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a cooling system comprising: - the heat-generating component, - a cooling subsystem comprising: • a mechanical actuator configured to dissipate heat, • the cooling system control device according to the second aspect of the present invention, and - a power source configured to power the component and the mechanical actuator.

[0019] According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle, comprising the device according to the second aspect of the present invention or the system according to the third aspect of the present invention.

[0020] According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer program which includes instructions adapted for carrying out the steps of the process according to the first aspect of the present invention, in particular when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

[0021] Such a computer program may use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or an intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

[0022] According to a sixth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of the process according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0023] On the one hand, the recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium can include a storage means, such as a ROM, a CD-ROM or a microelectronic circuit-type ROM, or a magnetic recording means or a hard disk drive.

[0024] On the other hand, this recording medium can also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be transmitted via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or radio frequency, by self-directing laser beam, or by other means. The computer program according to the present invention can, in particular, be downloaded from an Internet-type network.

[0025] Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the process in question. Brief description of the figures

[0026] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the particular and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention below, with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 9, in which:

[0027] [Fig-1] schematically illustrates a vehicle comprising a system of cooling, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] [Fig.2] illustrates a device configured to control the cooling system carried in the vehicle of [Fig.1], according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] [Fig.3] illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a control process of a on-board cooling system in the vehicle of [Fig.1], according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] [Fig.4] illustrates two training data tables, according to an example of particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] [Fig.5] schematically illustrates signals associated with driving patterns, according to a particular and non-limiting example of the present invention;

[0032] [Fig.6] illustrates an evolution of ambient temperature around the system of cooling of the [Fig.1], according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] [Fig.7] illustrates a set of diagrams representing energy consumption simulated of a component, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment example of the present invention;

[0034] [Fig.8] illustrates a set of curves showing a flow generated by the actuator mechanics of [Fig. 1] as a function of received electrical energy, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; and

[0035] [Fig.9] illustrates a table representing the results of an experimental design, according to a a particular and non-limiting example of the present invention. Description of examples of achievements

[0036] A method and a control device for a cooling system on board a vehicle will now be described in what follows with joint reference to Figures 1 to 9. The same elements are identified with the same reference signs throughout the description that follows.

[0037] The terms "first," "second" (or "firsts," "seconds"), etc., are used in this document by arbitrary convention to allow for the identification and distinction of different elements (such as operations, means, etc.) implemented in the embodiments described below. Such elements may be distinct or correspond to a single element, depending on the embodiment.

[0038] The present invention proposes a complete numerical method in which a component to be cooled and a cooling subsystem are treated as a single system, hereinafter referred to as the "cooling system". Optimizing the activation strategy of the cooling subsystem improves the reliability of the entire system and minimizes energy costs.

[0039] The present invention then consists of using numerical modeling, for example via computational fluid dynamics, and / or physical tests to understand the coupling behavior between the effect of the cooling system and the component to be cooled, also called the target component. Based on this understanding, an analytical model is then constructed to quantify this coupling.

[0040] A cooling system efficiency model is then constructed to quantify the efficiency of this system. For a cooling system to be efficient, its energy conversion rate between input and output energy must be maximized. By maximizing this conversion rate, the cooling system activation strategy, that is, the control strategy for this cooling system, is optimized.

[0041] The maximization process is based on time data that illustrate the behavior of the cooling system and the cooling objective of virtual user profiles to which distinct models and usage conditions are associated.

[0042]

[0043] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a vehicle 10, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Vehicle 10 corresponds, for example, to a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, with electric motor(s), or even a hybrid vehicle with an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. Vehicle 10 thus corresponds, for example, to a land vehicle, such as a car, a truck, a bus, or a motorcycle.

[0045] According to a particular embodiment, the vehicle 10 corresponds to a so-called connected vehicle equipped with a communication system configured to communicate with one or more remote devices 101 via a wireless communication network infrastructure. The remote device 101 corresponds, for example, to a server or a computer in the "cloud" 100.

[0046] The communication system of a connected vehicle includes, for example, one or more communication antennas connected to a telematic control unit (TCU), which is itself connected to one or more computers of the connected vehicle's embedded system. The antenna(s), the TCU, and the computer(s) form, for example, a multiplexed architecture for providing various services useful for the proper functioning of the connected vehicle and for assisting the driver and / or passengers of the connected vehicle in controlling the vehicle and / or for diagnosing the operation of one or more components of the connected vehicle.The computer(s) and the TCU communicate and exchange data with each other via one or more computer buses, for example a CAN (Controller Area Network), CAN FD (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate), FlexRay (according to ISO 17458) or Ethernet (according to ISO / IEC 802-3) type communication bus.

[0047] The mobile communication infrastructure enabling wireless data communication between the vehicle 10 and the remote device 101 includes, for example, one or more communication devices 102 of the type relay antenna (cellular network) or roadside unit, known as RSU. In a communication mode using such a network architecture, the data is transmitted, for example, by the vehicle connected to the remote device 101 from the "cloud" 100 via a relay antenna 102 (the antenna 102 being, for example, connected to the "cloud" 100 via a wired link and the remote device 101 being itself connected to the network infrastructure of the "cloud" 100 via a wired and / or wireless network).

[0048] The wireless communication system enabling data exchange between the connected vehicle and the remote device 101 corresponds, for example, to: - a vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication system, for example based on the 3GPP LTE-V or IEEE 802.1 lp standards of ITS G5; or - a cellular network communication system, for example an LTE (Long-Term Evolution) network, LTE-Advanced (also called LTE 3G, 4G or 5G); or - a Wifi type communication system according to IEEE 802.11, for example according to IEEE 802.1 In or IEEE 802.1 lac.

[0049] According to a particular embodiment, the vehicle 10 advantageously carries a set of sensors and devices configured to detect or determine data representative of operating conditions associated with the vehicle 10. Such data is, for example, included in a dataset comprising: - an outside temperature, - an interior temperature, for example in a passenger compartment or engine compartment, - the travel time of the vehicle 10 since it started, - the remaining travel time, determined for example from data received from a navigation system, - altitude data received from an altimeter or mapping system, and - meteorological data.

[0050] The vehicle 10 also carries, for example, one or more ADAS systems (Advanced Driver-Assistance System), such as, for example: - an electronic stability control system fitted to the vehicle, known by the acronyms ESC (from the English "Electronic Stability Control" or in French "Contrôle électronique de la tranquillité"), DSC (from the English "Dynamic Stability Control" or in French "Contrôle dynamique de la tranquillité") or ESP (from the English "Electronic Stability Program" or in French "Programme électronique de la tranquillité"), - a lane keeping assist system, known as the LKA system (from the English "Lane Keep Assist"), and / or - a traction control system, known as DST (Dynamic Steering Torque), and / or - an electronic traction control system, known as ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation), such an ASR system regulating acceleration to limit the loss of traction of the drive wheels, and / or - a system called ABS (from the German "Antiblockiersystem" or in French "système anti-blocage des roues"), and / or - an adaptive cruise control system, also known as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), and / or - a geolocation system enabling the vehicle 10 to obtain data or information representative of its geographical position at any time, for example in the form of coordinates (latitude and longitude), via a satellite link with a set of satellites (not shown on [Fig.1]), the geolocation system corresponding for example to a system of type GPS (from the English “Global Positioning System” or in French “Système de emplacement global”), Galileo or GLONASS.

[0051] The component 11 to be cooled is, for example, a computer or an electronic component of one of these embedded systems.

[0052] The vehicle 10 also includes a cooling subsystem associated with this component 11, the cooling subsystem comprising a mechanical actuator 12 and a control device 13 configured to control the mechanical actuator 12. Thus, the component 11, the mechanical actuator 12 and the control device 13 form the cooling system 1.

[0053] The control device 13 receives data associated with the component 11, for example at least one temperature 'T' measured in or on the surface of the component 11. The control device 13 is also configured to control the cooling system 1, therefore the control device 13 is configured to control the mechanical actuator 12.

[0054] The mechanical actuator 12 is, for example: • an axial fan such as those commonly used to force airflow through heat sinks or enclosures, or • A centrifugal (or blower) fan, providing higher static pressure, useful for systems where air must be forced through ducts or filters, or • A water pump such as those used in liquid cooling systems that circulate a cooling fluid like water or a mixture with an additive through cooling blocks and radiators. Obviously, the invention is not limited to these examples of mechanical actuators but extends to any mechanical actuator requiring energy to operate and known to those skilled in the art.

[0055] Thus, the mechanical actuator 12 moves a fluid, that is to say, it generates a flow rate 'd' of the fluid related to its movement. In other words, the mechanical component converts the energy received into kinematic energy which serves to dissipate the heat generated by the component 11. This flow rate 'd' of displaced fluid is then a function of an energy 'E' received by the mechanical actuator 12, this energy 'E' being supplied by the energy source 14.

[0056] It should be noted that the energy required for the operation of the control device 13, the component 11 and the mechanical actuator 12 comes, for example, from an energy source 14. For example, if this energy is electrical, the energy source 14 is, for example, an auxiliary battery or a traction battery of the vehicle 10. In order to reduce the energy consumption of the cooling system 1, it is therefore necessary to limit the use of this energy by each of the elements of this cooling system 1, in particular the energy required to activate the mechanical actuator 12.

[0057] Thus, the control device 13 includes software which contains the activation strategy of the mechanical component, this activation strategy being based on an energy efficiency model.

[0058] According to a particular embodiment, the energy efficiency model is constructed from an analytical model whose parameters have been defined from numerical models and / or results of physical tests.

[0059] According to a particular embodiment, the energy efficiency model is decomposed into two functions. Thus, the energy efficiency model includes a first function describing a relationship between the measured temperature and the flow rate supplied by the mechanical actuator 12 to dissipate the heat from the component 11 to be cooled. The energy efficiency model also includes a second function describing a relationship between the input energy supplied to the mechanical actuator 12 and the flow rate of the displaced fluid.

[0060] The first function is defined in particular according to the reliability requirement of component 11, this reliability requirement being defined for example by the supplier or manufacturer of component 11.

[0061] The second function describes a conversion of the input energy into kinematic power that generates the fluid flow. This second function is therefore a requirement for the supplier or manufacturer of the mechanical actuator 12.

[0062] A first operation consists of constructing the analytical model describing the coupling behavior between the cooling effect and the temperature of component 11. It is first necessary to obtain the temperature data of the component under different working conditions and with different cooling effects, these different conditions defining in particular the user profiles, the data obtained being called training data.

[0063] Note that the subsequent control of the cooling system 1 optionally includes the determination of a user profile from a set of user profiles based on data representative of conditions of use, which are for example received from a set of sensors and / or computers on board the vehicle 10 and / or the remote server 101, the energy efficiency model being a function of the user profile determined.

[0064] The training data must be sufficient to allow for the fitting of the analytical model. The data can be obtained by numerical modeling and / or by physical testing, for example in the laboratory.

[0065] For example, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model simulating the thermal behavior of an electronic control unit (ECU) and its cooling system is carried out. A training dataset is obtained and presented, for example, in the form of tables as illustrated in [Fig.4].

[0066] Figure 4 illustrates two training data tables. The first table 41 is determined for a first working power PI and the second table 42 is determined for a second working power P2.

[0067] The columns then correspond to data representing: • the ambient temperature 'T' expressed in degrees Celsius (°C), • the thermal power 'P' of the component to be cooled, expressed in Watts (W), • the rotational speed 'RPM' of the mechanical actuator expressed in revolutions per minute, • the measured temperature 'Tj', here the junction temperature of the component to be cooled, corresponding to an electronic chip, and • the thermal resistance 'R' of the air expressed in W / Km.

[0068] In a second operation, a mathematical model illustrating the entire dataset is generated from the training data. Note that numerous tools offering model fitting algorithms can be used; for example, the data fitting function integrated into Matlab® is used to derive the following analytical model based on the training data presented in the tables.

[0069] A first equation is thus obtained and associated with the first table 41: [Math.l] Tj = T' + L5*P - 0.00163WM + 5.03

[0070] A second equation is obtained and associated with the second table 42: [Math.2] = L089*r' + 0.97*P-0.0034:WM+ 17.043

[0071] In general, the analytical model is described by the following third equation: [Math.3] Tj = A*T' + B^P - C*RPM + D

[0072] With: • Tj the temperature of the component, • A, B, C and D are constants (whose units differ), • The ambient temperature, • P is the power dissipated by the component, and • RPM the rotational speed of the mechanical actuator.

[0073] A fourth equation describes the relationship between the temperature gradient and the flux: [Math.4] AT = a* /

[0074] With: • At T, the measured temperature gradient, • has a coefficient, and • f the flow.

[0075] A fifth equation defines the relationship between the dissipation of thermal energy or dissipated heat and the temperature gradient:

[0076] [Math.5] Qd = AT*R

[0077] With: • When the heat is dissipated, • At T the temperature gradient, and • R is the thermal resistance of air.

[0078] In a third operation, an energy efficiency model is constructed so as to quantify the energy efficiency of the cooling system 1.

[0079] First, the input energy and the output energy are defined. The output energy is the effective energy. Simplification can be used to extract the input and the output.

[0080] For example, in the cooling system 1, the input energy is the electrical energy absorbed by component 11 and by the cooling subsystem comprising the mechanical actuator 12 and the control device 13. The energy absorbed by component 11 is converted into heat and effective work, the energy converted into effective work being very small or even negligible. A portion of the energy converted into heat is dissipated, and a portion of the converted energy remains in the body of component 11, causing an increase in its temperature, which is measured. The electrical power absorbed by the cooling subsystem is, for its part, converted into kinematic energy and mechanical loss; the kinematic energy removes a certain amount of heat from component 11, while the mechanical loss is not effective work.

[0081] The output energy is the sum of the effective energy of component 11, which is very low if component 11 is an electronic system and the heat remains in its body.

[0082] Secondly, the efficiency rate of the system is defined as the ratio between the output energy and the input energy.

[0083] For example, in the analysis of cooling system 1, the system efficiency ratio must be maximized and is defined by the following function:

[0084] [Math.6] _ _ 6; i _ EirQd Ec E j +E [ [ E j +E । [

[0085] With: • the energy efficiency ratio, • Is the output energy, • Ee the input energy, • the heat remaining in component 11, • Eeu the effective energy of component 11, • For example, the energy absorbed by the cooling system 1, excluding component 11, • the energy absorbed by component 11, and • When the heat dissipated by the cooling system 1.

[0086] In a fourth step, a method for determining the efficiency ratio according to different user profiles is defined. The user profiles are associated with the operating conditions of the cooling system 1 and are distinguished, for example, by their noise level.

[0087] According to a particular embodiment, the cooling system 1 being on board the vehicle 10, the noise associated with the cooling system is representative of the use of the vehicle 10, the external atmospheric conditions, and / or the age of the cooling system 1. Thus, the present invention proposes to numerically simulate the temporal evolution of the input and output for different user profiles.

[0088] According to a first example, the noise level is representative of driving patterns. Three driving patterns are thus associated with signals and represented in [Fig. 5], each signal representing the activation of component 11 with a value equal to 1 and the deactivation of component 11 with a value of zero.

[0089] According to a second example, the noise level is representative of the evolution of the ambient temperature over time. The ambient temperature is, for example, simulated under different climates that differ in temperature, for example, a very hot climate and a very cold climate. Figure 6 thus illustrates the evolution of the ambient temperature around the cooling system 1 on a very hot day by a first curve 61 and on a very cold day by a second curve 62.

[0090] According to a third example, the noise level is representative of the aging or age of the cooling system 1. Indeed, the energy consumption of component 11 can vary over time due to use. Figure 7 thus illustrates a first diagram 71 representing the simulated energy consumption of a new component 11 and a second diagram 72 representing the consumption simulated energy of an aged component 11 for the first driving model. Energy consumption is considered to be randomly distributed during the operating time within a given range. This range is, for example, provided by the supplier of component 11. Similarly, the efficiency of mechanical components can also decrease over time; thus, the conversion of electrical energy at the input of the mechanical actuator 12 into kinematic energy at the output of the mechanical actuator 12 decreases with age. Thus, after a certain number of hours of use, the energy efficiency of the mechanical actuator decreases to achieve the same performance. Such information also comes from the supplier of the mechanical actuator 12. [Fig.8] illustrates a first curve 81 showing the flux 'f' generated by the new mechanical actuator 12 as a function of the received electrical energy 'Pi2' and a second curve 82 showing the flux 'f' generated by the old mechanical actuator 12 as a function of the received electrical energy 'Pi2'.

[0091] Thus, the efficiency ratio is determined in the following ways.

[0092] With the cooling effect provided by the analytical model described in the third equation, using the simulated target cooling power and the ambient temperature as inputs, the temperature of component 11 can be calculated. The flow rate required to cool component 11 is deduced from the first function, which is also the first part of the cooling strategy. The second function, which constitutes the second part of the cooling strategy, allows the power required to provide this flow rate to be deduced. Therefore, the input is the sum of the power for the flow rate and the simulated power for the cooling target.

[0093] Without cooling effect thanks to the analytical model described by the third equation, considering that the flow rate is equal to zero, the temperature of the cooling target without cooling effect is deduced.

[0094] The difference between the temperatures composing 11 with and without the flow is determined so as to obtain the heat dissipated using the fifth equation.

[0095] The output is determined by calculating the difference between the simulated power for component 11 and the dissipated heat.

[0096] In a fifth operation, the efficiency rate is maximized. This maximization is, for example, achieved by design of experiments (DOE) methods.

[0097] All parameters defining the activation strategy through the first and second functions are control factors, each parameter having several levels or values ​​presented according to a particular embodiment example in the table below:

[0098] [Tables 1] Parameter Description Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 A Minimum target rotation speed 1.5 3 4 B Maximum target rotation speed (ratio) 0.80 0.90 0.95 C Measured temperature at start of ramp 40 50 60 D Measured temperature at end of ramp 85 90 95 E Rotation speed at start of ramp 0.20 0.30 0.40 F Rotation speed at end of ramp 0.80 0.90 0.95 G Minimum rotation speed 100 200 300 H Maximum rotation speed 6000 7000 8000

[0099] The driving models then correspond to the parameters defining the activation strategy, while noises, for example aging and climate, are combined. Thus, the experimental design can be entirely factorial or reduced.

[0100] The results of the experimental design are presented in [Fig.9], which shows the different parameters with the associated values ​​in a first part 91 and the yield 'n' obtained in a column 92.

[0101] Three user profiles are presented: • a first user profile 'M1' corresponding to 6 daily trips of vehicle 10, each trip having a duration of 15 minutes, • a second user profile 'M2' corresponding to 2 daily trips of vehicle 10, each trip having a duration greater than 1.5 hours, • a third user profile 'M3' corresponding to 3 daily trips of vehicle 10, each trip lasting 30 minutes, as well as two noise levels: • the first noise level 'NI' corresponding to a new component 11, a new mechanical actuator 12 and fresh time, and • the second noise level 'N2' corresponds to an aged component 11, an aged mechanical actuator 12 and warm weather.

[0102] Thus, the best activation strategy allows obtaining a maximum value of the yield 'n' and the signal / noise ratio.

[0103] In conclusion, the invention applies to a cooling system comprising the component to be cooled and the cooling subsystem, the latter comprising a mechanical actuator and a control device. The invention proposes a method and a process from the simulation of all inputs to the result of The optimal activation strategy for the cooling system. As a result, the reliability of the cooling system is maximized and energy costs reduced solely through the optimization of the software or program implementing the presented optimal activation strategy. The maintenance frequency of the cooling system is then reduced without adding extra costs, particularly through the addition of external components.

[0104] The advantage of applying this activation strategy, defined via the energy efficiency model associated with the cooling system, is to reduce the maintenance frequency of the cooling subsystem and the energy expenditure for activating the cooling system without additional cost. The proposal requires a fully digital development, which is efficient in terms of cost and research and development time.

[0105] Figure 2 schematically illustrates a device 2 configured to control a cooling system installed in a vehicle, for example vehicle 10, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The device 2 corresponds, for example, to a device installed in the vehicle 10, for example a computer or the control device 13.

[0106] Device 2 is, for example, configured to carry out the operations described opposite Figures 1 and 4 to 9 and / or the steps of the process described opposite [Fig. 3]. Examples of such a device 2 include, but are not limited to, embedded electronic equipment such as a vehicle's on-board computer, an electronic control unit such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop computer. The elements of device 2, individually or in combination, may be integrated into a single integrated circuit, into several integrated circuits, and / or into discrete components. Device 2 may be implemented in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules, or a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

[0107] The device 2 comprises one (or more) processor(s) 20 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the process and / or for executing instructions from the software embedded in the device 2. The processor 20 may include integrated memory, an input / output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The device 2 further comprises at least one memory 21, for example, volatile and / or non-volatile memory, and / or includes a memory storage device that may include volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM, PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0108] The computer code of the embedded software(s) including the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored on memory 21.

[0109] According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 2 comprises a block 22 of interface elements for communicating with external devices such as connected vehicles and / or measuring devices. The interface elements of the block 22 comprise one or more of the following interfaces: - radio frequency RF interface, for example of the Wi-Fi® type (according to IEEE 802.11), for example in the 2.4 or 5 GHz frequency bands, or of the Bluetooth® type (according to IEEE 802.15.1), in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, or of the Sigfox type using UBN (Ultra Narrow Band) radio technology, or LoRa in the 868 MHz frequency band, LTE (Long-Term Evolution), LTE-Advanced; - USB interface (from the English "Universal Serial Bus" or "Universal Serial Bus" in French); - HDMI interface (from the English "High Definition Multimedia Interface", or "High Definition Multimedia Interface" in French); - LIN interface (from the English "Local Interconnect Network", or in French "Réseau interconnecté local").

[0110] According to another particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 2 includes a communication interface 23 which enables communication with other devices (such as other servers, databases) via a communication channel 230. The communication interface 23 corresponds, for example, to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and / or data via the communication channel 230. The communication interface 23 corresponds, for example, to a wired Ethernet network (standardized by ISO / IEC 802-3).

[0111] According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 2 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen 240, touch or not, one or more speakers 250 and / or other peripherals 260 (projection system) via output interfaces 24, 25 and 26 respectively. According to a variant, one or more of the external devices is integrated into the device 2.

[0112] Figure 3 illustrates a flowchart of the different steps of a method for controlling a cooling system embedded in a vehicle, for example in vehicle 10, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The method is implemented, for example, by one or more processors of a computer in vehicle 10, by the control device 13 of Figure 1, or by device 2 of Figure 2.

[0113] In a first step 31, initial data are received. The initial data are notably representative of the temperature of a component 11 of the vehicle to be cooled.

[0114] In a second step 32, an input energy quantity is determined. This quantity of input energy corresponds to a maximum energy conversion rate of the cooling system determined from an energy efficiency model associated with the cooling system 1 as a function of temperature.

[0115] In a third step 33, the cooling system is controlled according to the amount of energy input.

[0116] According to one variant, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to one of Figures 1 and 4 to 9 apply to the steps of the process in [Fig.3].

[0117] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment examples described above but extends to a method of determining and using an energy efficiency model associated with a cooling system on board a vehicle which would include additional elements which would include secondary steps without going out of the scope of the present invention.

[0118] The present invention also relates to a vehicle, for example an automobile or more generally an autonomous land-powered vehicle, comprising the cooling system of [Fig.1] or device 2 of [Fig.2].

Claims

Demands

1. Method for controlling a cooling system (1) on board a vehicle (10), said method being implemented by at least one processor and comprising the following steps: - receiving (31) initial data representative of a temperature of a component (11) to be cooled of the vehicle; - determining (32) an amount of input energy corresponding to a maximum energy conversion rate of said cooling system from an energy efficiency model associated with said cooling system as a function of said temperature; - controlling (33) said cooling system as a function of said amount of input energy.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps: - receiving second data representative of conditions of use, and - determining a user profile from a set of user profiles as a function of the second data, said energy efficiency model being a function of said user profile.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the energy efficiency model is constructed from an analytical model.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the analytical model is constructed from numerical models and / or physical test results.

5. A method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the energy efficiency model comprises a first and a second function, • the first function describing a relationship between said temperature and a flow rate supplied by a mechanical actuator (12) to dissipate the heat of said component (11), and • the second function describing a relationship between said input energy supplied to the mechanical actuator (12) and said flow rate.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein said first function is defined as a function of a reliability level of said component (H).

7. A method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein said second function describes a conversion of said input energy into a kinematic power generating said flow rate.

8. Device (2) for controlling a cooling system, said device (2) comprising a memory (21) associated with at least one processor (20) configured for carrying out the steps of the process according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Cooling system (1) comprising: - the heat-generating component (11), - a cooling subsystem comprising: • a mechanical actuator (12) configured to dissipate said heat, • the control device (13) of said cooling system according to claim 8, and - a power source (14) configured to supply said component and said mechanical actuator.

10. Vehicle (10) comprising the device (2) according to claim 8 or the cooling system (1) according to claim 9.

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