Electrically controlled valve, engine cooling system and control method thereof, vehicle

Abstract

The application provides an electric control valve for an engine cooling system, an engine cooling system control method and a vehicle. The electric control valve comprises a valve seat, the valve seat defining an inlet flow channel, a valve cavity and an outlet flow channel arranged in sequence along the flow direction of the cooling liquid and being in communication; a valve core, the valve core having a first through hole and a second through hole, the cross-sectional area of the first through hole being larger than that of the second through hole, the valve core being rotatably arranged in the valve cavity to block the inlet flow channel and the outlet flow channel or to make at least one of the first through hole and the second through hole communicate with the inlet flow channel and the outlet flow channel; and a driving execution assembly, the driving execution assembly being arranged in the valve seat and being in transmission connection with the valve core, the driving execution assembly being configured to drive the valve core to act according to the working condition information of the engine. According to the electric control valve, the flow size of the cooling liquid can be adjusted according to the working condition of the engine, the thermostat is replaced, and the engine can work at the optimal cooling liquid temperature under different working conditions.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of engines, in particular to an electric control valve, an engine cooling system and a control method thereof, and a vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0002] For an engine, the temperature inside the engine has a great influence on the operation of the engine, and therefore, a cooling system is usually provided for the engine to cool the engine.

[0003] The most common way in the commercial vehicle market is to use a thermostat to adjust the flow distribution of the cooling medium to control the cooling process of the engine. However, the traditional thermostat has the defects of delayed temperature adjustment response, uncontrollable cooling medium circulation flow, and thus the temperature control of the cooling liquid in the engine is not accurate enough. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application provides an electric control valve, an engine cooling system and a control method thereof, and a vehicle, wherein the electric control valve can replace the thermostat, improve the cooling liquid return mode and control strategy, more accurately regulate the heat dissipation capacity and temperature adjustment speed of the engine, and ensure that the engine can work at the best cooling liquid temperature under different working conditions.

[0005] The present application provides an electric control valve, an engine cooling system and a control method thereof, and a vehicle, wherein the electric control valve can replace the thermostat, improve the cooling liquid return mode and control strategy, more accurately regulate the heat dissipation capacity and temperature adjustment speed of the engine, and ensure that the engine can work at the best cooling liquid temperature under different working conditions.

[0006] According to the electric control valve of the present application, by configuring the valve core with a first through hole having a larger cross-sectional area than a second through hole, and configuring the driving execution assembly to drive the valve core to act according to the working condition information of the engine, the electric control valve can adjust the flow size of the cooling liquid in the engine cooling system in real time according to the running working condition of the engine, thereby improving the cooling liquid return mode and control strategy, more accurately regulating the heat dissipation capacity and temperature adjustment speed of the engine, replacing the thermostat, shortening the response time of itself, improving the engine warm-up speed, ensuring that the engine can work at the best cooling liquid temperature under different working conditions. It can also greatly reduce the power consumption of the engine accessories, save fuel consumption, improve the reliability and economy of the engine, and ultimately optimize the performance of the whole machine.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present application, the liquid outlet channel comprises a first sub-channel and a second sub-channel which are separated from each other, and the valve seat further comprises a first outlet and a second outlet, the first outlet being located at one end of the first sub-channel away from the valve cavity, and the second outlet being located at one end of the second sub-channel away from the valve cavity, wherein the first through hole is connected to the liquid inlet channel and the first sub-channel, and the second through hole is connected to the liquid inlet channel and the second sub-channel.

[0008] Optionally, the cross-sectional area of the second sub-channel is smaller than that of the first sub-channel.

[0009] Optionally, the electrically-controlled valve comprises a plurality of valve cores, and the valve seat comprises a plurality of second sub-channels corresponding to the valve cores, and the driving and executing assembly simultaneously drives the plurality of valve cores to rotate.

[0010] In some embodiments, the valve seat comprises a seat body which defines the valve cavity and the second sub-channels, and the second outlet is located at the bottom of the seat body, and the driving and executing assembly is arranged at the side of the seat body; a liquid inlet pipe which is detachably connected to the seat body and defines the liquid inlet channel; and a liquid outlet pipe which is arranged at the side of the seat body opposite to the driving and executing assembly and is detachably connected to the seat body, and defines the first sub-channel.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present application, the driving and executing assembly comprises a driving member, a transmission mechanism having a rotating shaft which extends into the valve cavity and on which the valve core is arranged, and the driving member is in transmission connection with the transmission mechanism so as to drive the valve core to rotate through the transmission mechanism, and an electrically-controlled module which controls the driving member to act according to the working condition information of the engine.

[0012] Optionally, the transmission mechanism comprises a screw rod which is connected to the driving member, and a plurality of gear stages, the first gear stage of the plurality of gear stages being in meshing transmission with the screw rod, and the last gear stage of the plurality of gear stages being provided with the rotating shaft.

[0013] Optionally, the valve seat is further provided with a vent hole which penetrates the flow channel wall of the liquid inlet channel so as to connect the liquid inlet channel with the outside.

[0014] The second aspect of the present application provides an engine cooling system, comprising: the electric control valve according to the first aspect of the present application; an engine, wherein the engine comprises a cylinder head and a cylinder body, and a water outlet of the cylinder body is communicated with a liquid inlet flow channel of the electric control valve; a cooling water tank, wherein the cooling water tank is communicated with a first sub-flow channel of the electric control valve; a heat dissipation accessory, wherein the heat dissipation accessory is used for dissipating heat from the cooling water tank; an external cooling pipeline, wherein the external cooling pipeline is communicated with the cooling water tank; and an electronic water pump, wherein the electronic water pump has a first water inlet branch and a second water inlet branch, the first water inlet branch is communicated with the external cooling pipeline, the second water inlet branch is communicated with a second sub-flow channel of the electric control valve, and the electronic water pump is further communicated with a water inlet of the cylinder head; wherein the engine, the liquid inlet flow channel of the electric control valve, the first through hole and the first sub-flow channel, the cooling water tank, the heat dissipation accessory, the external cooling pipeline and the electronic water pump jointly form a first cooling circulation loop; and the engine, the liquid inlet flow channel of the electric control valve, the second through hole and the second sub-flow channel and the electronic water pump jointly form a second cooling circulation loop.

[0015] According to the engine cooling system of the present application, by arranging the electric control valve in the above-mentioned embodiments, and configuring two cooling circulation loops as the flow of the cooling liquid in the first cooling circulation loop is greater than the flow of the cooling liquid in the second cooling circulation loop, the heat dissipation and cooling capacity of the first cooling circulation loop is greater than the heat dissipation and cooling capacity of the second cooling circulation loop, the thermostat can be omitted, the cooling liquid return mode and the control strategy are improved, the heat dissipation capacity and the temperature adjustment speed of the engine are accurately regulated and controlled, and the engine can work at the optimal cooling liquid temperature under different working conditions. The engine response time can be shortened, the warm-up speed can be improved, the power consumption of the engine accessories can be greatly reduced, the fuel consumption can be saved, the reliability and economy of the engine can be improved, and finally the performance of the whole machine is optimized.

[0016] The third aspect of the present application provides a vehicle, comprising: a vehicle body; and the engine cooling system according to the second aspect of the present application, which is arranged in the vehicle body.

[0017] According to the vehicle of the present application, by arranging the engine cooling system of the second aspect, the vehicle response time can be shortened, the power consumption of the engine accessories can be greatly reduced, the fuel consumption can be saved, the use economy and reliability of the vehicle can be improved, and the user experience can be improved.

[0018] The fourth aspect of the present application provides a control method of an engine cooling system, which is applied to the engine cooling system according to the third aspect of the present application, and the control method comprises the following steps: collecting working condition information of the engine; and controlling the valve core to rotate according to the working condition information, so as to make the first cooling circulation loop conductive and / or the second cooling circulation loop conductive.

[0019] According to the control method of the engine cooling system, the control logic is configured to selectively turn on at least one of the first cooling circulation loop and the second cooling circulation loop according to the working condition information of the engine, so as to adjust the flow size of the cooling liquid in the engine cooling system and the heat dissipation speed, accurately regulate the cooling speed of the engine, and ensure that the engine can work at the optimal cooling liquid temperature under different working conditions. Therefore, it is helpful to shorten the engine response time, improve the warm-up speed, greatly reduce the power consumption of the engine accessories, save fuel consumption, improve the reliability and economy of the engine, and finally realize the performance optimization of the whole machine.

[0020] Optionally, the working condition information includes a current temperature of the cooling liquid in the engine, and the control of the valve core to rotate according to the working condition information to make the first cooling circulation loop communicate and / or the second cooling circulation loop communicate includes: comparing the current temperature with a target temperature; if the current temperature is higher than the target temperature, controlling the valve core to rotate to turn on the first cooling circulation loop; and if the current temperature is lower than the target temperature, controlling the valve core to rotate to turn on the second cooling circulation loop. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or the prior art description. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present application, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can also be obtained without creative labor. Among them:

[0022] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the engine cooling system of the embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the engine cooling system of the embodiment of the present application from another angle;

[0024] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the engine cooling system of the embodiment of the present application from another angle;

[0025] Figure 4 It is a sectional view of the engine cooling system of the embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 5 It is a control logic diagram of the control method of the engine cooling system of the embodiment of the present application.

[0027] Explanation of reference signs:

[0028] 100-engine cooling system;

[0029] 1 - electronically controlled valve;

[0030] 11 - valve seat; 111 - seat body; 1111 - base; 1112 - cover; 112 - second sub-flow passage; 113 - liquid inlet pipe; 114 - liquid inlet passage; 115 - liquid outlet pipe; 116 - first sub-flow passage; 117 - vent hole; 118 - mounting portion;

[0031] 12 - valve core; 121 - first through hole; 122 - second through hole;

[0032] 13 - drive and execution assembly; 131 - drive member; 132 - transmission mechanism; 133 - screw rod; 134 - multi-stage gear; 135 - rotating shaft; 136 - electronic control module;

[0033] 2 - engine; 21 - cylinder block; 211 - cylinder block water outlet pipe; 22 - cylinder head; 3 - heat dissipation accessory; 4 - electronic water pump; 5 - cooling pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals throughout the drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present application, and should not be construed as limiting the present application.

[0035] For an engine, the temperature inside the engine has a great influence on the normal operation of the engine, and therefore, a cooling system is usually provided for the engine to cool the engine. The most common way in the commercial vehicle market is to use a thermostat to adjust the flow distribution of the cooling medium. However, the traditional thermostat has the defects of temperature regulation response delay, uncontrollable cooling medium circulation flow, and thus the temperature control of the cooling liquid in the engine is not accurate enough.

[0036] Therefore, the present application provides an electronically controlled valve, which changes the flow in the engine cooling system by setting first through holes and second through holes with different cross-sectional areas on the valve core, thereby improving the cooling liquid return mode and control strategy, more accurately regulating the heat dissipation capacity and temperature adjustment speed of the engine, and replacing the traditional thermostat.

[0037] Reference is made below to Figures 1-4 The electronically controlled valve according to the first embodiment of the present application is described in detail.

[0038] The electronically controlled valve 1 of the embodiment of the present application can be a ball valve, which can be used in an engine cooling system 100, i.e. the electronically controlled valve 1 can control the flow of the cooling liquid in the engine cooling system 100. The electronically controlled valve 1 can include a valve seat 11, a valve core 12 and a drive and execution assembly 13.

[0039] Specifically, the valve seat 11 can define an inlet flow channel 114, a valve cavity and an outlet flow channel, which are arranged in sequence and communicated along the flow direction of the cooling liquid in the engine cooling system 100, where the cooling liquid can be cooling water. The valve core 12 can be spherical, and the valve core 12 has a first through hole 121 and a second through hole 122, the cross-sectional area of the first through hole 121 is larger than that of the second through hole 122, so that the flow of the cooling liquid after flowing through the first through hole 121 is larger than that after flowing through the second through hole 122.

[0040] The valve core 12 is rotatably arranged in the valve cavity to block the inlet flow channel 114 and the outlet flow channel, or to make at least one of the first through hole 121 and the second through hole 122 communicate the inlet flow channel 114 and the outlet flow channel. The drive execution assembly 13 is arranged in the valve seat 11 to drive the valve core 12 to rotate, and the drive execution assembly 13 is configured to drive the valve core 12 to act according to the working condition information of the engine 2, where the working condition information can include the temperature of the cooling liquid in the engine 2, the temperature of the engine 2 itself, the rotating speed of the engine 2, etc., of course, the working condition information can also include other working information of the engine 2, and the drive execution assembly 13 can have an electronic control module 136, which can obtain the working condition information of the engine 2.

[0041] For example, the electronic control valve 1 can have a first state and a second state. In the first state, the first through hole 121 of the valve core 12 communicates the inlet flow channel 114 and the outlet flow channel, and the cooling liquid after flowing through the first through hole 121 is in a large flow state, at this time, the heat dissipation capacity and cooling speed of the engine cooling cycle system are higher. In the second state, the second through hole 122 of the valve core 12 communicates the inlet flow channel 114 and the outlet flow channel, and due to the reduction of the flow area of the second through hole 122, the cooling liquid after flowing through the second through hole 122 is in a small flow state, at this time, the heat dissipation capacity and cooling speed of the engine cooling system 100 are lower.

[0042] With the example of the driving execution assembly 13 controlling the action of the valve core 12 according to the coolant temperature in the engine 2, when the driving execution assembly 13 obtains that the coolant temperature in the engine 2 is higher than the target temperature during vehicle driving, it indicates that the engine 2 is overheated and needs to be cooled down at a faster speed, that is, the driving execution assembly 13 drives the valve core 12 to rotate to the position where the first through hole 121 connects the inlet flow channel 114 and the outlet flow channel, so that the coolant in the engine cooling system 100 has a larger flow rate to improve the heat dissipation capacity and cooling speed, at this time, the electric control valve 1 is in the first state. When the driving execution assembly 13 obtains that the coolant temperature in the engine 2 is lower than the target temperature during vehicle starting, in order to shorten the warm-up time and improve the response speed, the driving execution assembly 13 can drive the valve core 12 to rotate to the position where the second through hole 122 connects the inlet flow channel 114 and the outlet flow channel, so that the coolant flow rate in the engine cooling system 100 is smaller to reduce the heat dissipation speed, at this time, the electric control valve 1 is in the second state.

[0043] According to the electric control valve 1 of the embodiment of the application, by configuring the valve core 12 to have a first through hole 121 with a larger cross-sectional area than a second through hole 122, and configuring the driving execution assembly 13 to drive the valve core 12 to act according to the working condition information of the engine 2, the electric control valve 1 can adjust the coolant flow rate in the engine cooling system 100 in real time according to the working condition of the engine 2, thereby improving the coolant return mode and control strategy, and more accurately regulating the heat dissipation capacity and temperature adjustment speed of the engine 2. The electric control valve 1 can replace the thermostat, shorten the action response time, improve the warm-up speed of the engine 2, and ensure that the engine 2 can work at the optimal coolant temperature under different working conditions. The electric control valve 1 can also greatly reduce the power consumption of the engine 2 accessories, save fuel consumption, improve the reliability and economy of the engine 2, and ultimately optimize the performance of the whole machine.

[0044] According to some embodiments of the application, with reference to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the outlet flow channel can include a first sub-flow channel 116 and a second sub-flow channel 112. The first sub-flow channel 116 and the second sub-flow channel 112 are separated from each other and blocked from each other, and the valve seat 11 further forms a first outlet and a second outlet, the first outlet is located at one end of the first sub-flow channel 116 away from the valve cavity, and the second outlet is located at one end of the second sub-flow channel 112 away from the valve cavity, wherein the first through hole 121 can be used to connect the inlet flow channel 114 and the first sub-flow channel 116, and the second through hole 122 can be used to connect the inlet flow channel 114 and the second sub-flow channel 112, so that the electric control valve 1 can adjust different coolant return paths and distribution modes according to different engine 2 working condition information, thereby optimizing the coolant return control strategy to achieve the purpose of precise temperature control.

[0045] Optionally, the cross-sectional area of the second sub-flow passage 112 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first sub-flow passage 116, so as to help reduce the volume of the electric control valve 1 and reduce the space occupancy of the electric control valve 1 in the engine cooling system 100, thereby optimizing the structural layout of the engine cooling system 100, while ensuring that the electric control valve 1 can accurately split the flow.

[0046] Optionally, referring to Figure 4 , the electric control valve 1 can be provided with a plurality of valve cores 12, for example, the electric control valve 1 has two valve cores 12, and the valve seat 11 can be provided with a plurality of second sub-flow passages 112, the second sub-flow passages 112 correspond to the valve cores 12 one by one, and the driving execution assembly 13 simultaneously drives the plurality of valve cores 12 to rotate, so that the engine cooling system 100 can maintain sufficient coolant flow to maintain the normal operation of the engine 2 even in a small flow state.

[0047] Optionally, the junction of the second sub-flow passage 112 and the valve cavity is provided with a first sealing assembly, and the junction of the first sub-flow passage 116 and the valve cavity is provided with a second sealing assembly, both the first sealing assembly and the second sealing assembly can be sealing rubber rings, thereby improving the sealing between the first through hole 121 and the first sub-flow passage 116, and the second through hole 122 and the second sub-flow passage 112, preventing liquid leakage and affecting the flow control effect of the electric control valve 1 on the coolant.

[0048] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the valve seat 11 can include a seat body 111, an inlet pipe 113 and an outlet pipe 115. The seat body 111 defines the valve cavity and the second sub-flow passage 112, the second outlet is located at the bottom of the seat body 111, the driving execution assembly 13 is arranged at the side of the seat body 111, part of the structure of the driving execution assembly 13 extends into the valve cavity and is in transmission connection with the valve core 12. The inlet pipe 113 defines the inlet flow passage 114, and the inlet pipe 113 and the seat body 111 are detachably connected, for example, bolted, for example, the inlet pipe 113 is arranged at the top of the seat body 111. The outlet pipe 115 is arranged at the side of the seat body 111 opposite to the driving execution assembly 13, the outlet pipe 115 defines the first sub-flow passage 116, and the outlet pipe 115 and the seat body 111 are detachably connected, for example, bolted.

[0049] Since the overall structure of the engine 2 system is relatively complex, the liquid inlet pipe 113 and the liquid outlet pipe 115 are detachably connected with the seat body 111, so that the length, shape and setting position of the liquid inlet pipe 113 and the liquid outlet pipe 115 on the valve seat 11 can be flexibly adjusted according to the specific structure of the engine 2 and the setting position of the valve seat 11, so that the electric control valve 1 can better adapt to the engine cooling system 100. In addition, the first sub-flow passage 116 and the second sub-flow passage 112 are respectively arranged on the seat body 111 and the liquid outlet pipe 115, so that the first sub-flow passage 116 and the second sub-flow passage 112 can be externally connected with different cooling circulation loops, and heat transfer between the two sub-flow passages is avoided.

[0050] Optionally, referring to Figure 3 , the seat body 111 can include a base 1111 and a valve cover 1112, the base 1111 defines an open-sided accommodating cavity, and the valve cover 1112 is arranged on the base 1111, so that the production and manufacturing of the seat body 111 are facilitated, and the assembly of the seat body 111 with the valve core 12 and the drive execution assembly 13 is also facilitated.

[0051] Optionally, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the liquid inlet pipe 113 can be provided with a mounting portion 118, which can be used to connect with other components of the engine cooling system 100, so as to better install and fix the electric control valve 1.

[0052] According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 4 , the drive execution assembly 13 can include a drive member 131, a transmission mechanism 132 and an electric control module 136. The drive member 131 can be a drive motor, the transmission mechanism 132 has a rotating shaft 135 extending into the cavity of the valve seat 11, and the valve core 12 is arranged on the rotating shaft 135. When multiple valve cores 12 are provided, the multiple valve cores 12 are arranged side by side on the rotating shaft 135 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 135. The drive member 131 is in transmission connection with the transmission mechanism 132, so as to drive the valve core 12 to rotate through the transmission mechanism 132. The electric control module 136 can be an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), i.e., a control chip. The electric control module 136 is in communication connection with the drive member 131 through a control wire harness. The electric control module 136 can acquire the working condition information of the engine 2, and control the drive member 131 to act according to the working condition information of the engine 2. By controlling the drive member 131 to act through the electric control module 136, the response speed of the electric control valve 1 and the accuracy of the action of the valve core 12 can be improved, the control of the cooling liquid flow in the engine cooling system 100 is realized, the working water temperature of the engine 2 is accurately controlled, the engine 2 is ensured to operate at the optimal working water temperature, the power consumption of the cooling system 100 is reduced, the overall performance of the engine 2 is improved, and the fuel thermal efficiency, economy and reliability of the whole vehicle are improved.

[0053] Optionally, referring to Figure 2 , the transmission mechanism 132 can include a screw rod 133 and a plurality of gears. The screw rod 133 is connected to the driving member 131, for example, the screw rod 133 can be directly used as the output shaft of the driving motor, or can be connected to the output shaft of the driving motor. The multi-stage gear 134 includes a first-stage gear and a last-stage gear. The first-stage gear is in meshing transmission with the screw rod 133, and the last-stage gear is provided with a rotating shaft 135 which can penetrate into the valve cavity and be connected to the valve core 12. In this way, the valve core 12 is driven to rotate by the gear screw rod 133 mechanism, which can reduce speed and increase torque, and is beneficial to improve the accuracy of the rotation angle of the valve core 12.

[0054] Optionally, a sliding bushing is sleeved on the rotating shaft 135, and the sliding bushing is arranged on the inner wall of the valve cavity. In this way, the sliding bushing can support the rotating shaft 135 and reduce the vibration of the rotating shaft 135.

[0055] Optionally, referring to Figure 2 and Figure 4 , the valve seat 11 is further provided with a vent hole 117 which penetrates through the flow channel wall of the liquid inlet flow channel 114. More specifically, the vent hole 117 can be arranged on the liquid inlet pipe 113 to communicate the liquid inlet flow channel 114 with the outside. In this way, the air pressure inside and outside the electric control valve 1 can be balanced, and it is ensured that the electric control valve 1 can smoothly inlet and outlet liquid.

[0056] The engine cooling system 100 according to the second aspect of the present application is described below with reference to Figure 1 .

[0057] The engine cooling system 100 of the embodiment of the present application comprises the electric control valve 1, the engine 2, the cooling water tank, the heat dissipation accessory 3, the external cooling pipeline and the electronic water pump 4 in the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0058] The engine 2 can include a cylinder body 21 and a cylinder cover 22. The water outlet of the cylinder body 21 is sequentially communicated with the liquid inlet flow channel 114 of the electric control valve 1 through the cylinder water outlet pipe 211 and the cooling pipe 5. The water inlet of the cooling water tank can be communicated with the first sub-flow channel 116 of the electric control valve 1. The heat dissipation accessory 3 is used for dissipating heat from the cooling water tank, for example, the heat dissipation accessory 3 can be arranged on the outside of the cooling water tank, and the heat dissipation accessory 3 can be a cooling fan, an electronic grid or the like. The external cooling pipeline is communicated with the water outlet of the cooling water tank. The electronic water pump 4 has a first water inlet branch and a second water inlet branch. The first water inlet branch is communicated with the water outlet of the external cooling pipeline, and the second water inlet branch is communicated with the second sub-flow channel 112 of the electric control valve 1. The water outlet of the electronic water pump 4 is communicated with the water inlet of the cylinder cover 22.

[0059] In other words, the electric control valve 1 and the electronic water pump 4 can have two cooling liquid flow paths, one of which is that the cooling water tank, the heat dissipation accessory 3 and the external cooling pipeline are arranged between the first sub-flow passage 116 of the electric control valve 1 and the first water inlet branch of the electronic water pump 4, and the other of which is that the second sub-flow passage 112 of the electric control valve 1 directly communicates with the second water inlet branch of the electronic water pump 4, so that the heat dissipation capacity of the cooling circulation loop in which the first water inlet branch is located is greater than the heat dissipation capacity of the cooling circulation loop in which the second water inlet branch is located.

[0060] The engine 2, the liquid inlet flow passage 114 of the electric control valve 1, the first through hole 121 and the first sub-flow passage 116, the cooling water tank, the heat dissipation accessory 3, the external cooling pipeline and the electronic water pump 4 together constitute the first cooling circulation loop, and the engine 2, the liquid inlet flow passage 114 of the electric control valve 1, the second through hole 122 and the second sub-flow passage 112, and the electronic water pump 4 constitute the second cooling circulation loop. In this way, the flow of the cooling liquid in the first cooling circulation loop is greater than the flow of the cooling liquid in the second cooling circulation loop, and the cooling components on the first cooling circulation loop are more than the cooling components on the second cooling circulation loop, and the heat dissipation capacity of the first cooling circulation loop is greater than the heat dissipation capacity of the second cooling circulation loop.

[0061] Taking the driving of the driving execution assembly 13 of the electric control valve 1 to control the movement of the valve core 12 according to the temperature of the cooling liquid in the engine 2 as an example: when the driving execution assembly 13 obtains that the current temperature of the cooling liquid in the engine 2 is higher than the target temperature, it indicates that the engine 2 is overheated and needs to be cooled down at a faster speed, that is, the driving execution assembly 13 drives the valve core 12 to rotate to the position where the first through hole 121 communicates the liquid inlet flow passage 114 and the first sub-flow passage 116, so that the first cooling circulation loop of the engine cooling system 100 is conducted, and the large flow and strong heat dissipation capacity of the first cooling circulation loop are used to cool down the engine 2. When the driving execution assembly 13 obtains that the current temperature of the cooling liquid in the engine 2 is lower than the target temperature, in order to shorten the warm-up time and improve the response speed, the heat loss in the engine 2 needs to be reduced, and the driving execution assembly 13 can drive the valve core 12 to rotate to the position where the second through hole 122 communicates the liquid inlet flow passage 114 and the second sub-flow passage 112, so that the second cooling circulation loop of the engine cooling system 100 is conducted, so as to reduce the heat dissipation speed of the engine 2 and shorten the response time of the engine 2.

[0062] According to the engine cooling system 100 of the embodiment of the present application, by arranging the electrically controlled valve 1 in the above embodiment, and arranging the two cooling circulation loops to have a flow of the cooling liquid in the first cooling circulation loop greater than a flow of the cooling liquid in the second cooling circulation loop, the heat dissipation cooling capacity of the first cooling circulation loop is greater than the heat dissipation cooling capacity of the second cooling circulation loop, the thermostat can be omitted, the cooling liquid return mode and the control strategy are improved, the heat dissipation capacity and the temperature adjustment speed of the engine 2 are accurately regulated and controlled, and the engine 2 can work at the optimal cooling liquid temperature under different working conditions. The response time of the engine 2 can be shortened, the warming-up speed of the engine 2 can be improved, the power consumption of the accessories of the engine 2 can be greatly reduced, the fuel consumption can be saved, the reliability and the economy of the engine 2 can be improved, and finally the performance optimization of the whole machine is realized.

[0063] Understandably, the heat dissipation accessory 3, for example, the cooling fan, can be started only in the state that the first cooling circulation loop is conducted, so that the engine cooling system 100 of the embodiment can match the reasonable control strategy and priority order according to different working condition requirements, accurately control the flow of the cooling liquid and the operation of the cooling fan, and ensure that the engine 2 can work at the optimal cooling liquid temperature under different working conditions by matching the use of the accessories. The power consumption of the accessories is greatly reduced, the fuel consumption is saved, the reliability and the economy of the engine 2 are improved, and the performance optimization of the whole machine is realized.

[0064] The vehicle according to the third aspect of the present application is described below.

[0065] The vehicle of the embodiment of the present application comprises a vehicle body and the engine cooling system 100 in the above embodiment. Specifically, the engine cooling system 100 is arranged on the vehicle body.

[0066] According to the vehicle of the embodiment of the present application, by arranging the engine cooling system 100 in the above embodiment, the response time of the whole vehicle can be shortened, the power consumption of the accessories of the engine 2 can be greatly reduced, the fuel consumption can be saved, the use economy and the reliability of the vehicle can be improved, and the user experience can be improved.

[0067] The vehicle according to the third aspect of the present application is described below. Figure 5 The control method of the engine cooling system 100 according to the fourth aspect of the present application is described below.

[0068] The control method of the engine cooling system 100 of the embodiment of the present application can be applied to the engine cooling system 100 in the second aspect of the above embodiment. The control method can comprise the following steps: S1, collecting working condition information of the engine 2; S2, controlling the valve core 12 to rotate according to the working condition information, so as to make the first cooling circulation loop conducted and / or the second cooling circulation loop conducted.

[0069] Specifically, after the vehicle is started, the working condition information of the engine 2 can be acquired in real time by the electric control valve 1. For example, the electric control module 136 driving the execution assembly 13 can collect the working condition information of the engine 2, which can include the temperature of the cooling liquid in the engine 2, the temperature of the engine 2 itself, the rotating speed of the engine 2, and the like. Of course, the working condition information can also include other working information of the engine 2. When the electric control module 136 determines that the working condition does not meet the preset condition, the electric control module 136 controls the driving member 131 to act, and the driving member 131 drives the valve core 12 to rotate, so as to turn on at least one of the first cooling circulation loop and the second cooling circulation loop.

[0070] According to the control method of the engine cooling system 100, the control logic is set to selectively turn on at least one of the first cooling circulation loop and the second cooling circulation loop according to the working condition information of the engine 2, so as to adjust the flow size and the heat dissipation speed of the cooling liquid in the engine cooling system 100, accurately regulate the cooling speed of the engine 2, and ensure that the engine 2 can work at the optimal cooling liquid temperature under different working conditions. Therefore, the response time of the engine 2 can be shortened, the warm-up speed can be improved, the power consumption of the accessories of the engine 2 can be greatly reduced, the fuel consumption can be saved, the reliability and economy of the engine 2 can be improved, and finally the performance optimization of the whole machine can be realized.

[0071] Optionally, the working condition information includes the current temperature of the cooling water in the engine 2, and the valve core of the electric control valve 1 is rotated according to the working condition information to turn on the first cooling circulation loop and / or the second cooling circulation loop, which includes comparing the current temperature with a target temperature, rotating the valve core of the electric control valve 1 to turn on the first cooling circulation loop if the current temperature is higher than the target temperature, and rotating the valve core of the electric control valve 1 to turn on the second cooling circulation loop if the current temperature is lower than the target temperature.

[0072] Specifically, when the electric control module 136 determines that the current temperature of the cooling water in the engine 2 is higher than the target temperature, it indicates that the engine 2 is overheated and needs to be cooled down at a faster speed. That is, the driving member 131 is controlled to drive the valve core 12 to rotate to the position where the first through hole 121 connects the liquid inlet flow channel 114 and the first sub-flow channel 116, so as to turn on the first cooling circulation loop of the engine cooling system 100, and utilize the large flow and strong heat dissipation capacity of the first cooling circulation loop to cool down the engine 2. When the electric control module 136 acquires the current temperature of the cooling liquid in the engine 2 which is lower than the target temperature, in order to shorten the warm-up time and improve the response speed, the heat loss in the engine 2 needs to be reduced. Therefore, the driving member 131 is controlled to drive the valve core 12 to rotate to the position where the second through hole 122 connects the liquid inlet flow channel 114 and the second sub-flow channel 112, so as to turn on the second cooling circulation loop of the engine cooling system 100, so as to reduce the heat dissipation speed of the engine 2 and shorten the response time of the engine 2.

[0073] Optionally, either of the rotating the valve core 12 to open the first cooling circulation loop and the rotating the valve core 12 to open the second cooling circulation loop comprises: determining a current angle of the valve core 12; determining a target angle of the valve core 12 according to the target temperature; and rotating the valve core 12 from the current angle to the target angle under the control of the electric control module 136.

[0074] Specifically, the target angle can be set according to the temperature of the cooling liquid in the engine 2, that is, when the temperature of the cooling liquid in the engine 2 is different, the corresponding target angle can also have multiple. After the electric control module 136 obtains the current temperature of the cooling water in the engine 2, the current angle of the valve core 12 can be obtained first, then the target angle of the valve core 12 is determined according to the target temperature, and finally the driving part 131 drives the valve core 12 to rotate to the target angle. In this way, the rotation angle of the valve core 12 is monitored in real time by the electric control module 136, and the driving part 131 drives the valve core 12 to rotate, so as to realize accurate control of the opening of the first through hole 121 and the second through hole 122.

[0075] In the present application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connecting", "fixing" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or it can be detachably connected, or it can be integrated; it can be mechanically connected, or it can be electrically connected, or it can be communicated; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium; it can be the communication or interaction relationship between two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0076] In the description of the present application, the description of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In the present application, the illustrative description of the above terms is not necessarily for the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in the present application and the features of the different embodiments or examples without contradiction.

[0077] It should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, and are not intended to limit the present application; although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions recorded in the above embodiments can be modified, or some or all of the technical features can be replaced by equivalents; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. An electronically controlled valve for use in an engine cooling system, characterized in that, include: A valve seat that defines an inlet channel, a valve chamber, and an outlet channel that are arranged sequentially and connected along the flow direction of the coolant. The valve core has a first through hole and a second through hole, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first through hole is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the second through hole, and the valve core is rotatably disposed in the valve cavity to isolate the liquid inlet channel and the liquid outlet channel, or to connect the liquid inlet channel and the liquid outlet channel by at least one of the first through hole and the second through hole. A drive actuator is disposed on the valve seat and is throttle-connected to the valve core. The drive actuator drives the valve core to move according to the engine's operating condition information. The liquid outlet channel includes: a first sub-channel and a second sub-channel that are separated from each other; the electronically controlled valve is provided with a plurality of valve cores; the valve seat has a plurality of second sub-channels that correspond one-to-one with the valve cores; and the drive execution component simultaneously drives the plurality of valve cores to rotate. The valve seat also has a first outlet and a second outlet, and the valve seat includes: The seat body defines the valve chamber and the second sub-flow channel, the second outlet is located at the bottom of the seat body, and the drive actuation component is located on the side of the seat body; A liquid inlet pipe is detachably connected to the seat body, and the liquid inlet pipe defines the liquid inlet flow channel; A liquid outlet pipe is located on the side of the base body opposite to the drive actuation component and is detachably connected to the base body. The liquid outlet pipe defines the first sub-flow channel. The drive actuation component includes a transmission mechanism, which has a rotating shaft extending into the valve cavity, and a sliding bushing is sleeved on the rotating shaft and disposed on the inner wall of the valve cavity. The valve seat is also provided with a vent hole, which penetrates the channel wall of the liquid inlet channel to connect the liquid inlet channel with the outside. When the drive actuator detects that the engine coolant temperature is lower than the target temperature, the drive actuator drives the valve core to rotate to the position where the second through hole connects the inlet flow channel and the outlet flow channel.

2. The electrically controlled valve according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first outlet is located at the end of the first sub-flow channel furthest from the valve cavity, and the second outlet is located at the end of the second sub-flow channel furthest from the valve cavity. The first through hole connects the liquid inlet channel and the first sub-channel, and the second through hole connects the liquid inlet channel and the second sub-channel.

3. The electrically controlled valve according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cross-sectional area of ​​the second sub-channel is smaller than that of the first sub-channel.

4. The electrically controlled valve according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The drive execution component also includes: Drive components; The valve core is disposed on the rotating shaft, and the driving component is connected to the transmission mechanism to drive the valve core to rotate through the transmission mechanism; An electronic control module controls the movement of the drive components based on the engine's operating condition information.

5. The electrically controlled valve according to claim 4, characterized in that, The transmission mechanism includes: Screw, which is connected to the drive component; The gear system comprises a multi-stage gear, wherein the first-stage gear meshes with the screw for transmission, and the last-stage gear is provided with the rotating shaft.

6. An engine cooling system, characterized in that, include: The electrically controlled valve according to any one of claims 1-5; An engine, the engine including a cylinder head and a cylinder block, wherein the outlet of the cylinder block is connected to the inlet passage of the electronically controlled valve; A cooling water tank, wherein the cooling water tank is connected to the first sub-channel of the electrically controlled valve; A heat dissipation accessory, used to dissipate heat from the cooling water tank; External cooling pipes, which are connected to the cooling water tank; An electronic water pump has a first inlet branch and a second inlet branch. The first inlet branch is connected to the external cooling pipe, and the second inlet branch is connected to the second sub-flow channel of the electronically controlled valve. The electronic water pump is also connected to the water inlet of the cylinder head. The engine, the inlet channel of the electronically controlled valve, the first through hole and the first sub-channel, the cooling water tank, the heat dissipation accessories, the external cooling pipes, and the electronic water pump together constitute the first cooling circulation loop; the engine, the inlet channel of the electronically controlled valve, the second through hole and the second sub-channel, and the electronic water pump together constitute the second cooling circulation loop.

7. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: Body; The engine cooling system according to claim 6 is located in the vehicle body.

8. A control method for an engine cooling system, applied to the engine cooling system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The control method includes the following steps: Collect the engine's operating condition information; The valve core is controlled to rotate according to the operating condition information, so as to activate the first cooling circulation loop and / or the second cooling circulation loop.

9. The control method for an engine cooling system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The operating condition information includes: the current temperature of the coolant in the engine. Controlling the valve core to rotate based on the operating condition information to activate the first cooling circulation loop and / or the second cooling circulation loop includes: Compare the current temperature with the target temperature; If the current temperature is higher than the target temperature, control the valve core to rotate to open the first cooling circulation loop; If the current temperature is lower than the target temperature, the valve core is controlled to rotate to open the second cooling circulation loop.

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