Cooling apparatus and cooling method for power-pack in hybrid vehicle

Abstract

A cooling apparatus for a power-pack in a hybrid vehicle may include a power-pack that acquires traveling information of the vehicle and controls the operation of an engine and a motor, a low-temperature radiator that is connected with power-pack through a cooling water channel, dissipates heat from the cooling water discharged from power-pack, and is arranged in parallel with a radiator, and an electric water pump that is disposed in the cooling water channel and operated in response to an electric signal output from an ECU to circulate the cooling water through power-pack and low-temperature radiator. The cooling apparatus may also include a cooling fan. A cooling method of using the cooling apparatus may include determining engine operation, determining start of a water pump, and operating a water pump. The cooling method may also include starting a cooling fan, operating a cooling and examining a water pump.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims priority of Korean Patent Application Number 10-2011-0068391 filed Jul. 11, 2011, the entire contents of which application is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.BACKGROUND OF INVENTION[0002]1. Field of Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus in a hybrid vehicle, and more particularly, to a cooing apparatus and a cooling method for a power-pack in a hybrid vehicle which can exclusively cool a power-pack that controls energy in the hybrid vehicle.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]As high-fuel efficiency and environment-friendly vehicles are on the rise as the main issue in the vehicle industry, hybrid vehicles using both of an engine and a motor as a power supply are spotlighted.[0006]Such hybrid vehicles are equipped with a power-pack, which is an individual control device, to control driving of the engine and the motor and the power-pack collects traveli...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent aims to improve cooling performance for a power-pack in a hybrid vehicle by using a separate main radiator and sub-radiator to cool the cooling water. This separation allows for lower temperatures in the power-pack, which increases efficiency. The apparatus can also be used in high-temperature areas, expanding the vehicle's available travel space. Additionally, the design of the power-pack allows for greater freedom in temperature requirements.

Problems solved by technology

Accordingly, the cooling performance reduces and an energy loss is large due to the operation of electric water pump 123.

The cooling water discharged from radiator 112 is relatively lower in temperature than the cooling water discharged from engine 111, but the temperature is still high, such that it is not suitable for cooling and the cooling performance is correspondingly decreased.

Since it is required to keep electric water pump 123 operating, a large amount of energy loss is generated.

There is a limit in the traveling area of the hybrid vehicle due to the problem.

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