An engine warm-up control method, system and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides an engine warm-up control method, system and vehicle. The method includes: after the in-vehicle heating mode is started, detecting the engine water temperature and starting to calculate the start time of the in-vehicle heating mode through a timer; if the engine water temperature is less than the first preset temperature T1 and the start time t of the vehicle heating mode is less than or equal to the first preset duration, adjusting the cold and warm air damper mode of the HVAC assembly to the full cold mode, closing the face and defrost air dampers, setting the footwell air damper mode to the fully open mode, setting the internal and external circulation air damper mode to the internal circulation mode, and setting the air volume gear of the blower assembly to a preset gear; the recirculated air enters the HVAC from the air outlet of the internal circulation air damper, passes through the blower assembly, flows through the evaporator core, and then passes through the internal flow path of the HVAC, and finally blows into the vehicle from the front row footwell air outlet and the rear row footwell air outlet to accelerate the rise of the engine water temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of engine cooling system control, and particularly to an engine warm-up control method, system and vehicle. Background Art

[0002] The optimal operating temperature of an automotive engine during operation is generally between 90°C and 110°C for the coolant temperature. When a vehicle starts at a low temperature, engine warm-up is required to increase the water temperature of the engine, and try to make the engine work in the best ambient temperature, reducing the increased fuel consumption and increased wear of mechanical components caused by low temperature. However, when the ambient temperature is low, especially in winter in Northeast China, due to the low initial temperature of the engine, the engine warm-up time is long. An overly long warm-up time will cause a series of problems such as increased mechanical friction of the engine and increased fuel consumption, ultimately leading to a decline in the engine's operating efficiency and reliability.

[0003] When using a vehicle in winter, most users are accustomed to turning on the heater when getting in the car to increase the temperature of the passenger compartment and improve comfort. However, in traditional fuel vehicle models, the heating, defrosting, and demisting of the passenger compartment all use the waste heat of the engine. If the engine warms up slowly, the temperature of the passenger compartment will also rise slowly. In a low-temperature environment, in the initial stage of vehicle startup, within a certain period of cold startup of the vehicle, due to the low water temperature of the engine, the temperature inside the passenger compartment cannot reach the temperature expected by the user or the set temperature, which will affect the comfort of the driver and passengers in the passenger compartment and lead to user complaints.

[0004] In a low-temperature environment for an automotive engine, when the temperature of the cylinder block itself is low, since the temperature of the inner wall surface of the cylinder block is much lower than the combustion temperature, in the initial stage of cold startup, a cold wall phenomenon is likely to occur, resulting in incomplete fuel combustion. As the piston mechanism enters the engine lubrication circuit, oil dilution occurs. Specifically, it is manifested as fuel entering the oil sump and mixing with the oil. The phenomenon is that the oil level is higher than the initial level. If it accumulates for a long time, an oil emulsification phenomenon will occur, that is, a white emulsion appears in the upper cover of the engine. Over time, it will affect the safe operation of the engine.

[0005] Therefore, for traditional vehicle models with the engine as the power output, the technical requirements for the control method and device for the engine warm-up condition during vehicle cold startup include:

[0006] Coolant temperature rise rate;

[0007] The highest temperature level of the coolant.

[0008] In the prior art, the technical idea of the disclosed related solution has the technical features:

[0009] Utilize the waste heat of the engine;

[0010] Adjust the water temperature of the engine during warm-up by adding accessories;

[0011] Improve the warm-up rate by opening and closing the water circulation circuit.

[0012] For example, Patent CN20191143407.2 - Warm-up control method, device, vehicle controller and vehicle describes a warm-up control method and device. During the engine warm-up process, a controller monitors the on / off state of the in-vehicle warm air; when the warm air in the passenger compartment is on, a device collects the hot air heated around the exhaust system, and when this part of the hot air reaches the preset temperature range, this part of the hot air is sent into the passenger compartment through the air-conditioning system to increase the temperature of the passenger compartment;

[0013] For another example, Patent CN20201851874.3 - Control method and control device for the thermal management module under the engine warm-up condition describes the control method under the engine warm-up condition. It mainly obtains the water temperature of the engine through the thermal management module, compares it with the preset engine target water temperature map, determines whether the engine is in cold start through the temperature difference comparison. When it is determined that the engine is in the cold start process, the controller obtains the engine speed and torque, calculates the engine power, and calculates the target opening degree of the thermal management module according to the rated power of the engine and the obtained power, so as to realize the change of the engine water temperature.

[0014] For another example, Patent CN201520850349.4 - A control device for shortening the engine warm-up time describes monitoring the water temperature in the engine water jacket through the ECU, and controlling the water pump and ball valve through the ECU according to the water temperature situation. When the water temperature is lower than the set temperature, the water temperature sensor sends a signal to the ECU, and the ECU controls the motor to close the ball valve to achieve zero circulation of the flow rate, reduce cooling and heat dissipation, thereby accelerating the engine warm-up and shortening the warm-up time. When the water temperature is greater than or equal to the set temperature value, the ECU controls the ball valve to open, and the water in the water pump enters the engine water jacket to achieve cooling circulation and effectively complete the heat dissipation function of the engine. And a bypass valve is designed on the circulation circuit, and the bypass valve is designed with an opening pressure. When the ball valve is closed and the water pump outlet pressure is greater than the opening pressure, the bypass valve opens to avoid excessive internal pressure of the water pump. When the ball valve is in the open state, the outlet pressure of the water pump decreases, and when it decreases to the opening pressure, the bypass valve closes.

[0015] Defects in the existing publicly available technologies for the control methods and devices required for engine warm-up:

[0016] 1) The system is complex and difficult to implement. It is necessary to use additional devices to collect the air around the exhaust and send this part of the air into the passenger compartment. After collecting the temperature around the exhaust, a specific device is required to send it into the passenger compartment. The body area needs to be perforated. After the body is perforated, the overall vehicle heat loss will increase, and additional sealing problems will be added.

[0017] 2) There are many control parameters and the program is complex. It is necessary to preset the target water temperature of the engine, collect parameters such as engine torque, calculate the opening demand for controlling the heat management module, and realize the change of the engine water temperature by controlling the opening of the heat pipe module.

[0018] 3) The existing public technologies reduce the engine temperature rise rate; that is, a bypass valve is used in the cooling system circuit. When the water pump outlet pressure is too high, the bypass valve will open, and the hot water in the engine water channel will enter the radiator to participate in the cycle, which will lower the engine water temperature and affect the engine temperature rise during the warm-up process. Summary of the Invention

[0019] The substantial progress of the present invention lies in solving the above three technical defects, and provides an engine warm-up control method, system and vehicle, realizing: The system is simple and easy to implement; There are few control parameters and the program is simple; The system has no additional heat dissipation, and the engine temperature rise rate is increased; the innovation of the method meets the demand for temperature comfort in the passenger compartment under low-temperature conditions.

[0020] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0021] The present invention provides an engine warm-up control method, including:

[0022] After the in-vehicle heating mode is started, the engine water temperature is detected, and the timer starts to calculate the start time of the in-vehicle heating mode;

[0023] If the engine water temperature is less than the first preset temperature T1 and the vehicle heating mode start time t is less than or equal to the first preset duration, adjust the cold and warm air damper mode of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly to the full cold mode, close the face and defrost air dampers, set the footwell air damper mode to the fully open mode, set the internal and external circulation air damper mode to the internal circulation mode, and set the air volume gear of the blower assembly to the preset gear;

[0024] The recirculated air enters the HVAC from the air outlet of the internal circulation air damper, passes through the blower assembly, flows through the evaporator core, and finally blows into the vehicle from the front footwell air outlet and the rear footwell air outlet through the internal flow path of the HVAC to accelerate the rise of the engine water temperature.

[0025] Further, the method further includes:

[0026] If the engine water temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature T1 and / or the start time t of the vehicle heating mode is greater than the first preset duration, control the air door modes of the HVAC assembly and the air volume gear of the blower assembly according to the control signal input by the user.

[0027] Furthermore, the in-vehicle heating mode is started according to the control signal input by the user to utilize the waste heat of the engine to heat the passenger compartment.

[0028] The present invention also provides an engine warm-up control system, including:

[0029] An HVAC assembly, an air conditioner controller, and an engine water temperature sensor; the HVAC assembly includes: an internal circulation air door, a blower assembly, an evaporator core, a heating and cooling air door, a heater core, a face and defrost air door, and a footwell air door arranged in sequence;

[0030] After the air conditioner controller recognizes the start of the in-vehicle heating mode, it detects the engine water temperature according to the engine water temperature sensor and times the start duration of the in-vehicle heating mode;

[0031] If the engine water temperature is less than the first preset temperature T1 and the start time t of the vehicle heating mode is less than or equal to the first preset duration, adjust the heating and cooling air door mode of the HVAC assembly to the full-cool mode, close the face and defrost air door, set the footwell air door mode to the fully open mode, set the internal and external circulation air door mode to the internal circulation mode, and set the air volume gear of the blower assembly to the preset gear;

[0032] The recirculated air enters the HVAC from the air outlet of the internal circulation air door, passes through the blower assembly, flows through the evaporator core, passes through the internal flow path of the HVAC, and finally blows into the vehicle from the front row footwell air outlet and the rear row footwell air outlet to accelerate the rise of the engine water temperature.

[0033] The present invention also provides an automobile, including the above-mentioned engine warm-up control system.

[0034] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0035] During the engine warm-up process, the air-conditioning controller receives the engine water temperature sensor signal, monitors the engine water temperature, controls the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly to adjust the modes of the temperature blend door, the face and defrost air door, the footwell air door, and the fresh / recirculation air door, and controls the air volume of the HVAC blower assembly at a low gear. During the engine warm-up process, heat exchange in the heater core is prevented, energy loss during the engine warm-up process is reduced, and as much fuel consumption as possible is used to increase the engine temperature rise rate and the maximum temperature level. Compared with traditional engine warm-up technologies, this system is relatively simple and has a lower cost. It not only effectively shortens the engine warm-up time but also improves user comfort. Moreover, since the engine water temperature under the same operating conditions is increased, it is more conducive to fuel combustion in the engine, thus achieving the purpose of energy conservation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 A block diagram of a vehicle provided for an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 An internal air flow diagram of the HVAC during engine warm-up provided for an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 A comparison of the water temperature rise curves before and after adopting this warm-up control method in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 A control flow chart of the engine warm-up method in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] 11 - Air-conditioning controller, 12 - Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly, 13 - Engine water temperature sensor, 111 - Processor, 112 - Timer, 113 - Memory, 121 - Blower assembly, 122 - Evaporator core, 123 - Heater core, 124 - Temperature blend door, 126 - Face and defrost air door, 125 - Footwell air door, 1251 - Front row footwell air outlet, 1252 - Rear row footwell air outlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0041] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated here usually can be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed present invention, but only represents the selected embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0042] The purpose of the embodiment of the present invention is to provide an engine warm-up control method for improving the water temperature rise rate and the maximum temperature limit of the engine under low-temperature conditions.

[0043] To implement the above method, it relies on the engine warm-up control system, such as Figure 1 , the system includes an air-conditioning controller 11 integrating warm-up control functions and a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly 12 with one or more damper drive mechanisms. The air-conditioning controller 11 is used to receive one or more different types of relevant signals, and the transmission methods of these signals can be CAN, CANFD, LIN, hardwiring, or other methods. The air-conditioning controller 11 has time recording and program processing functions, and can be used to drive the temperature control damper 124, face and defrost damper 126, footwell damper 125, and fresh / recirculation damper position in the HVAC assembly 12, and has the function of adjusting and controlling the air volume level of the blower assembly 121.

[0044] Among them, the air-conditioning controller 11 includes: a processor 111, a timer 112, and a memory 113. The processor 111 is used to process one or more computer programs. When one or more computer programs are executed by the processor 111, the processor 111 implements the above-mentioned engine warm-up control method.

[0045] Among them, the HVAC assembly 12 is implemented by the existing HVAC assembly. Among them, the structure of the existing HVAC assembly is as Figure 2 shown. The HVAC assembly 12 includes: an in-car recirculation damper, a blower assembly 121, an evaporator core 122, a temperature control damper 124, a heater core 123, a face and defrost damper 126, and a footwell damper 125 arranged in sequence. Among them, the installation and arrangement of each damper, the blower assembly 121, the evaporator core 122, and the heater core 123 in the HVAC assembly 12 are prior art, and no improvement is made to them in this embodiment.

[0046] In addition, to implement the above method, an engine water temperature sensor 13 capable of monitoring the engine water temperature is also required. The engine water temperature sensor 13 can send the detected engine water temperature to the air-conditioning controller 11 in real time.

[0047] In this embodiment, as Figure 4 , the above-mentioned engine warm-up control method includes:

[0048] Step S1, after the in-car heating mode is started, detect the engine water temperature and start calculating the start time of the in-car heating mode through the timer.

[0049] Among them, the in-vehicle heating mode refers to the mode in which the driver manually inputs to use the waste heat of the engine to heat the passenger compartment. The activation of this mode depends on the driver's active activation. Considering that the time point when the driver activates the in-vehicle heating mode may be after the engine has been running for a while or when the engine has just started. When the engine has just started, the engine water temperature is relatively low. At this time, using the waste heat of the engine to heat the passenger compartment will result in the problem pointed out in the background art that the temperature of the passenger compartment cannot quickly reach the temperature expected or set by the user, thus affecting the comfort of passengers.

[0050] For this reason, in this embodiment, when the in-vehicle heating mode is started, the timing of the engine water temperature and the duration of the start of the in-vehicle heating mode are started. The timing of the start duration of the in-vehicle heating mode is carried out by using the timer 112 in the air-conditioning controller 11.

[0051] The collected engine water temperature and the timing of the start duration of the in-vehicle heating mode are used to determine whether the waste heat of the engine can be used to heat the passenger compartment. Specifically, if the engine water temperature is less than the first preset temperature T1 and the start time t of the vehicle heating mode is less than or equal to the first preset duration, it means that the engine has not been started for a long time and the engine water temperature does not meet the requirements for heating the passenger compartment. At this time, if the passenger compartment is heated, the above problems will occur. For this reason, in this embodiment, under this condition, step S2 is executed to adjust the mode of the temperature control air door 124 of the HVAC assembly 12 to the full cold mode, close the face and defrost air door 126, set the mode of the foot air door 125 to the fully open mode, set the mode of the internal and external circulation air door to the internal circulation mode, and set the air volume gear of the blower assembly 121 to the preset gear (such as gear 2). The purpose of performing the above operations is to prevent the heater core 123 from exchanging heat and lowering the engine water temperature by setting the mode of the temperature control air door 124 to the full cold mode, avoid energy consumption of the engine water temperature in the low-temperature state, and enable the engine water temperature to rise in a shorter time. In addition, by closing the mode of the face and defrost air door 126, it is avoided that cold air blows to the faces of the front-row seat occupants, affecting the comfort of the passengers and drivers.

[0052] That is to say, under the above conditions, even if the driver performs control operations on the relevant air doors, the driver's command input is not responded to, but the control of the modes of each air door and the air volume gear of the blower assembly 121 is forced to be adjusted in the above manner. Under the above conditions, the circulating air enters the HVAC from the air outlet of the internal circulation air door, passes through the blower assembly 121, flows through the evaporator core 122, and finally blows into the vehicle from the front foot air outlet 1251 and the rear foot air outlet 1252 to accelerate the rise of the engine water temperature.

[0053] Thereafter, when the engine water temperature reaches the first preset temperature T1 (T1 ≥ 60°C) and / or the startup duration of the in-vehicle heating mode reaches the first preset duration of 30 s, the air-conditioning controller 11 controls the temperature control air door 124, the face and defrost air door 126, the foot air door 125, and the air volume gear of the internal and external circulation air door and the blower assembly 121 of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) assembly 12 to be adjusted to the setting state input by the user on the panel or the large screen interface according to the received air-conditioning mode set on the panel and the input of the signal. That is, step S3 is executed to control the air door modes of the HVAC assembly 12 and the air volume gear of the blower assembly according to the control signal input by the user.

[0054] Compared with the prior art, in the above embodiments of the present invention, during the engine warm-up process, the air-conditioning controller receives the signal of the engine water temperature sensor, monitors the engine water temperature, controls the HVAC assembly 12 to adjust the modes of the temperature control air door 124, the face and defrost air door 126, the foot air door 125, and the internal and external circulation air door, and controls the air volume gear of the blower assembly 121 of the HVAC to be at a low gear. During the engine warm-up process, heat exchange of the heater core 123 is eliminated, energy loss during the engine warm-up process is reduced, and as much fuel consumption as possible is used to increase the engine temperature rise rate and the maximum temperature level. Compared with the traditional engine warm-up technology, this system is relatively simple and has a lower cost. It not only effectively shortens the engine warm-up time but also improves the user's comfort. Moreover, since the engine water temperature under the same working conditions is increased, it is more conducive to fuel combustion in the engine, and the purpose of energy conservation is also achieved.

[0055] Such as Figure 3, which shows the comparison of the air outlet temperature curves of the HVAC before and after the warm-up control method of the present invention is adopted. According to the illustrated curves, there are obvious differences in the air outlet temperature curves of the HVAC before and after using this warm-up control method. Before using this warm-up control method, the air outlet temperature of the HVAC rises as the engine water temperature rises. After reaching a certain water temperature, the air outlet temperature of the HVAC reaches stability. After using this engine warm-up control method, when the engine water temperature does not reach the first preset temperature T1 (the first preset temperature T1≥60°C, and T1 can be determined according to the engine characteristics) and the start time of the in-vehicle heating mode is less than or equal to the first preset duration of 30 s, the HVAC air outlet temperature is basically the same as the outside air recirculation inlet temperature, both about 18°C. After reaching the first preset temperature T1 (T1≥60°C) and / or when the in-vehicle heating mode is turned on for the first preset duration of 30 s, the air-conditioning controller 11 adjusts the position of the temperature blend door 124. At this time, the air outlet temperature of the HVAC rises rapidly. In the same time, the air outlet temperature of the HVAC is higher than that before using this warm-up control method, and the temperature rise rate is also higher than that before using this warm-up control method. After the engine operation reaches stability, the overall level of the air outlet temperature of the HVAC is higher than that before using this engine warm-up control method. It can be determined from the correlation between the air outlet temperature of the HVAC and the engine water temperature that after using this warm-up control method, the engine water temperature is higher than that before using this warm-up control method.

[0056] As Figure 2 , which shows the air flow diagram inside the HVAC for engine warm-up provided by the embodiment of the present invention. After the method of the present invention is started, the air-conditioning controller 11 adjusts the mode of the temperature blend door 124 to the full cold state according to the engine water temperature detected by the engine water temperature sensor 13. The modes of the face and defrost air door 126 are closed, and the mode of the foot air door 125 is in the fully open mode. The overall air flow direction is as follows: The recirculated air enters the HVAC from the inside air recirculation inlet, passes through the blower assembly 121, flows through the evaporator core 122, and finally blows into the vehicle through the front row foot air outlets 1251 and the rear row foot air outlets 1252.

Claims

1. An engine warm-up control method, characterized in that, Including: After the in-vehicle heating mode is started, the engine water temperature is detected, and the start time of the in-vehicle heating mode is calculated by a timer. If the engine water temperature is less than the first preset temperature T1 and the start time t of the vehicle heating mode is less than or equal to the first preset duration, the control commands of the driver for the temperature control air door (124), defrosting air door (126) and / or foot blowing air door (125) are not responded to. The temperature control air door (124) mode of the HVAC assembly (12) is adjusted to the full cold mode, the face and defrosting air door (126) is closed, the foot blowing air door (125) mode is adjusted to the fully open mode, the internal and external circulation air door mode is adjusted to the internal circulation mode, and the air volume gear of the blower assembly (121) is set to the preset gear to prevent heat exchange of the heater core (123). The circulating air enters the HVAC from the air outlet of the internal circulation air door, passes through the blower assembly (121), then flows through the evaporator core (122), and finally blows into the vehicle through the front row foot blowing air outlet (1251) and the rear row foot blowing air outlet (1252) to accelerate the rise of the engine water temperature.

2. The engine warm-up control method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further includes: If the engine water temperature is greater than or equal to the first preset temperature T1 and / or the start time t of the vehicle heating mode is greater than the first preset duration, the control of the air door modes of the HVAC assembly (12) and the air volume gear of the blower assembly (121) is performed according to the control signal input by the user.

3. The engine warm-up control method according to claim 1, wherein The in-vehicle heating mode is started according to the control signal input by the user to utilize the waste heat of the engine to heat the passenger compartment.

4. An engine warm-up control system, characterized in that, Including: HVAC assembly (12), air conditioner controller (11), engine water temperature sensor (13); the HVAC assembly (12) includes: an internal circulation air door, a blower assembly (121), an evaporator core (122), a temperature control air door (124), a heater core (123), a face and defrosting air door (126), and a foot blowing air door (125) arranged in sequence. After the air conditioner controller (11) recognizes the start of the in-vehicle heating mode, it detects the engine water temperature according to the engine water temperature sensor and times the start duration of the in-vehicle heating mode. If the engine water temperature is less than the first preset temperature T1 and the start time t of the vehicle heating mode is less than or equal to the first preset duration, the control commands of the driver for the temperature control air door (124), defrosting air door (126) and / or foot blowing air door (125) are not responded to. The temperature control air door (124) mode of the HVAC assembly (12) is adjusted to the full cold mode, the face and defrosting air door (126) is closed, the foot blowing air door (125) mode is adjusted to the fully open mode, the internal and external circulation air door mode is adjusted to the internal circulation mode, and the air volume gear of the blower assembly (121) is set to the preset gear to prevent heat exchange of the heater core (123). The circulating air enters the HVAC from the air outlet of the internal circulation air door, passes through the blower assembly (121), then flows through the evaporator core (122), and finally blows into the vehicle through the front row foot blowing air outlet (1251) and the rear row foot blowing air outlet (1252) to accelerate the rise of the engine water temperature.

5. A vehicle, characterized in that, Including the engine warm-up control system according to claim 4.

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