Engine cooling system and vehicle

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides an engine cooling system and a vehicle. The engine cooling system comprises a heat dissipation cavity, a heat dissipation device and a cooling device, a fan; a three-way valve; a warm air core; the controller is electrically connected with the draught fan and the three-way valve, and the controller is configured to execute the following steps that in the process that the draught fan is controlled to cool the engine, the current running temperature of the engine is obtained in response to a warm air conveying signal of the vehicle; the target valve opening degree is determined based on the current operation temperature and a central heating temperature value corresponding to the central heating conveying signal, and the central heating temperature value represents the required air temperature in the central heating conveying signal; and the current valve opening of the three-way valve is adjusted according to the target valve opening. According to the technical scheme, the safety of the engine cooling system can be improved, meanwhile, it is ensured that the engine cooling system can cool the engine, and resources consumed when the vehicle conveys hot air to the passenger compartment are reduced through heat generated by the engine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of engine cooling control, and in particular to an engine cooling system and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With the increasing emphasis on energy efficiency, using engine waste heat to heat the interior of the vehicle and simultaneously controlling the engine temperature has become an important trend in modern automotive energy-saving technology.

[0003] In the related art, in order to keep the engine at a suitable operating temperature, the usual engine cooling system uses circulating coolant and radiator to dissipate the excess heat generated by the engine. However, in actual applications, once the coolant in the coolant circulation system leaks, the coolant in the engine cooling system will not be able to fully remove the excess heat generated by the engine, causing the engine components to be damaged due to overheating of the engine. At the same time, it will further affect the heat exchange device in the vehicle that relies on the heat provided by the engine cooling system to heat the air, resulting in the heat exchange device being unable to effectively heat the air delivered to the vehicle passenger compartment, causing the vehicle to further consume other resources when heating the air.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the safety of the engine cooling system while ensuring that the engine cooling system can cool the engine and use the heat generated by the engine to reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle when delivering hot air to the passenger compartment has become a problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present application provides an engine cooling system and a vehicle.

[0006] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present application, an engine cooling system is provided, the engine cooling system comprising: a heat dissipation cavity, arranged on the engine of a vehicle, for providing a space for heat exchange between air and the engine; a fan, the air outlet of which is connected to the air inlet of the heat dissipation cavity, the air inlet of which is communicated with the atmosphere, for conveying air in the atmosphere into the heat dissipation cavity; a three-way valve, the first valve port of which is connected to the air outlet of the heat dissipation cavity, and the second valve port of which is communicated with the atmosphere; a heater core, arranged in a passenger compartment ventilation duct on the vehicle for introducing air into the passenger compartment, one end of the heater core being connected to the third valve port of the three-way valve, and the other end being communicated with the atmosphere; a controller , which are electrically connected to the fan and the three-way valve respectively, and the controller is configured to perform the following steps: in the process of controlling the fan to cool the engine, obtaining the current operating temperature of the engine in response to the heating delivery signal of the vehicle; determining the target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal, wherein the heating temperature value represents the air temperature required in the heating delivery signal; adjusting the current valve opening of the three-way valve according to the target valve opening, so as to adjust the output ratio of the three-way valve to direct the air in the heat dissipation cavity to the heater core and the atmosphere, and making the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct reach the heating temperature value after heat exchange with the heater core.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the target valve opening is determined based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal, including: determining the target temperature range of the current operating temperature; determining the target valve opening according to the target temperature range and the heating temperature value.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the target valve opening is determined according to the target temperature range and the heating temperature value, including: obtaining the current duct air temperature in the passenger compartment ventilation duct; determining the heating temperature difference between the current duct air temperature and the heating temperature value; obtaining the target opening unit value corresponding to the three-way valve within the target temperature range; and taking the product of the target opening unit value and the heating temperature difference as the target valve opening.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the controller is also configured to perform the following steps: before controlling the fan to cool the engine, obtain the current operating parameters of the engine; determine the initial speed of the fan based on the current operating parameters and the current air temperature; control the fan to cool the engine according to the initial speed to avoid overheating of the engine when operating normally under the current operating parameters.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the initial speed of the fan is determined based on the current operating parameters and the current air temperature, including: obtaining the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters, wherein the maximum operating temperature value represents the upper temperature limit corresponding to the normal operation of the engine under the current operating parameters; and taking the speed corresponding to the maximum operating temperature threshold at the current air temperature as the initial speed.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, after controlling the fan to cool the engine according to the initial speed, the controller is also configured to perform the following steps: determining whether the current operating temperature of the engine is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters; if it is determined to be yes, calculating the over-temperature difference between the current operating temperature and the maximum operating temperature threshold, and determining the target speed of the fan based on the initial speed and the over-temperature difference, and adjusting the current operating speed of the fan to the target speed; if it is determined to be no, then when it is determined that the current operating speed exceeds the initial speed, adjusting the current operating speed to the initial speed.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present application, based on the aforementioned scheme, determining whether the current operating temperature of the engine exceeds the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters includes: determining the delay duration according to the maximum operating temperature threshold of the current operating parameters; starting timing each time it is determined whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold, and when the timing time reaches the delay duration, re-determining whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present application, based on the above-mentioned solution, the heat dissipation cavity further includes heat dissipation fins, and the heat dissipation fins are arranged on the side wall of the engine cylinder body close to the heat dissipation cavity.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present application, based on the aforementioned solution, the fan further includes an air filter; the filter inlet of the air filter is connected to the atmosphere, and the filter outlet is connected to the air inlet of the fan.

[0015] According to one aspect of an embodiment of the present application, a vehicle is provided, comprising: an engine; and an engine cooling system such as any of the above embodiments, the engine cooling system being used to cool the engine while utilizing the heat generated by the engine to reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle in delivering hot air to the passenger compartment.

[0016] In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, the controller can obtain the current operating temperature of the engine in response to the vehicle's heating delivery signal in the process of controlling the fan to cool the engine, and then determine the target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal, and then adjust the current valve opening of the three-way valve according to the target valve opening to adjust the output ratio of the three-way valve to direct the air in the heat dissipation cavity to the heater core and the atmosphere, so that the temperature of the air in the ventilation duct of the vehicle passenger compartment reaches the heating temperature value after heat exchange with the heater core, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling the engine and using the heat generated by the engine to reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle when delivering hot air to the passenger compartment. At the same time, the engine cooling system takes away the excess heat generated by the engine in the form of air delivered by the fan, and even if the air leaks, the engine can continue to be cooled and the heat generated by the engine can be provided to the heater core, thereby avoiding overheating of the engine, improving the safety of the engine cooling system, and ensuring that the heater core effectively heats the air delivered to the vehicle passenger compartment, avoiding the vehicle from further consuming other resources when heating the air. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and constitute a part of the specification, showing embodiments consistent with the present application, and together with the specification, are used to explain the principles of the present application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and for those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work. In the drawings:

[0018] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an engine cooling system provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a heat dissipation cavity in an engine cooling system provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the connection of an air filter in a fan provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 4 is a control flow diagram of a controller in an engine cooling system provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 The flowchart of step S120 in the illustrated embodiment in an exemplary embodiment;

[0023] Figure 6 is a control flow diagram of a controller in an engine cooling system provided by another exemplary embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A flowchart in an exemplary embodiment after step S330 in the illustrated embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, example embodiments can be implemented in a variety of forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this application will be more comprehensive and complete and fully convey the concept of the example embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0026] In addition, described feature, structure or characteristic can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. In the following description, many specific details are provided to provide a full understanding of the embodiments of the present application. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the technical scheme of the present application can be put into practice without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, devices, steps, etc. can be adopted. In other cases, known methods, devices, realizations or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid blurring the various aspects of the application.

[0027] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities may be implemented in software form, or in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different networks and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0028] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are only exemplary and do not necessarily include all the contents and operations / steps, nor must they be executed in the order described. For example, some operations / steps can be decomposed, and some operations / steps can be combined or partially combined, so the actual execution order may change according to actual conditions.

[0029] It should be noted that the "multiple" mentioned in this article refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0030] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an engine cooling system provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0031] like Figure 1As shown, the engine cooling system 100 may include a heat dissipation cavity 101. The heat dissipation cavity 101 may be disposed on an engine 102 of a vehicle, and the heat dissipation cavity 101 is used to provide a space for heat exchange between air and the engine. The arrangement of the heat dissipation cavity 101 on the engine 102 may be flexibly arranged as required. In one example, the heat dissipation cavity 101 may be covered on a side wall of the engine 102 so that the air entering the heat dissipation cavity 101 may directly contact the side wall of the engine, thereby achieving the purpose of heat exchange between the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 and the engine.

[0032] In another example, the heat dissipation cavity 101 can house the engine 102 in the cavity to expand the heat transfer area between the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 and the engine, while ensuring that the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 can exchange heat with the engine, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchange between the air and the engine. At the same time, the heat dissipation cavity 101 can assist in fixing the engine 102 and provide a closed space for the engine 102, thereby reducing the probability of displacement of the engine 102 during use and preventing pollution impurities from the external environment from damaging the components of the engine 102.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present application, in order to increase the heat exchange efficiency between the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 and the engine, the heat dissipation cavity 101 may include heat dissipation fins. Figure 2 As shown, the heat sink 201 can be arranged on the side wall of the engine 102 close to the heat sink cavity 101, so that the heat generated by the engine 102 is absorbed by the heat sink 201, so that the air in the heat sink cavity 101 indirectly expands the heat transfer area between the air and the engine during the heat exchange with the heat sink fins 201, thereby further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the air in the heat sink cavity 101 to the engine.

[0034] In addition, in order to increase the improvement of the heat exchange efficiency of the heat sink 201, in one example, the number of heat sink fins 201 can be increased, that is, multiple heat sink fins 201 are spaced apart on the side wall of the engine 102 close to the heat sink cavity 101 to increase the heat absorbed by the heat sink fins 201 from the engine, and at the same time, the heat transfer area between the air and the heat sink fins 201 is expanded, thereby achieving the purpose of further improving the heat exchange efficiency between the air in the heat sink cavity 101 and the engine.

[0035] In another example, a material with a higher thermal conductivity can be selected as the heat sink fin 201, such as copper, graphene, alumina and the like, to increase the rate at which the heat sink fin 201 absorbs heat from the engine, thereby further improving the heat exchange efficiency between the air in the heat sink cavity 101 and the engine.

[0036] Continue to refer to Figure 1 As shown, the engine cooling system 100 may include a fan 103. The air outlet of the fan 103 may be connected to the air inlet of the heat dissipation cavity 101, and the air inlet may be connected to the atmosphere. The fan 103 is used to transport air in the atmosphere into the heat dissipation cavity 101. The fan 103 may include a centrifugal fan, an axial flow fan, a cross flow fan, etc.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present application, the fan 103 may also include an air filter 301, referring to Figure 3 As shown, the filter inlet of the air filter 301 can be connected to the atmosphere, and the filter outlet can be connected to the air inlet of the fan 103, so that when the fan 103 transports air from the atmosphere into the heat dissipation cavity 101, impurities in the air can be filtered through the air filter 301, thereby preventing the impurities in the air from affecting the operation of the fan 103 and wearing the heat dissipation cavity 101 and the structure of the engine.

[0038] In some embodiments of the present application, the air filter 301 of the fan 103 may include a first filter and a second filter. The filter inlet of the first filter is connected to the atmosphere, and the filter outlet of the first filter is connected to the air inlet of the fan 103; the filter inlet of the second filter is connected to the air outlet of the fan 103, and the filter outlet of the second filter is connected to the air inlet of the heat dissipation cavity 101, so that during the operation of the fan 103, the air sucked by the fan 103 can be filtered by the first filter, thereby reducing the probability of impurities in the air entering the fan 103, and also reducing the probability of impurities in the air causing the fan 103 to malfunction, and then the air blown into the heat dissipation cavity 101 by the fan 103 is further filtered by the second filter, which further reduces the probability of impurities in the air entering the heat dissipation cavity 101, thereby reducing the probability of the engine and the heat dissipation cavity 101 being worn by impurities in the air.

[0039] Continue to refer to Figure 1As shown, the engine cooling system 100 may include a three-way valve 104. The three-way valve 104 is used to control the flow direction and flow rate of the air flowing out of the heat dissipation cavity 101. In some embodiments of the present application, the first valve port of the three-way valve 104 is connected to the air outlet of the heat dissipation cavity 101, and the second valve port is connected to the atmosphere. That is to say, when the first valve port of the three-way valve 104 is connected to the second valve port, the fan 103 transports the air in the atmosphere to the heat dissipation cavity 101, the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 exchanges heat with the engine, and then transfers the heat of the engine 102 to the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101, so that the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 becomes high-temperature air. At the same time, under the action of the fan 103, the high-temperature air flows out from the air outlet of the heat dissipation cavity 101, and then flows through the first valve port and the second valve port of the three-way valve 104 in sequence and is discharged into the atmosphere, so as to achieve the purpose of reducing the temperature of the engine 102 and avoid overheating of the engine 102.

[0040] Reference Figure 1 As shown, the engine cooling system 100 may include a heater core 105. The heater core 105 may be disposed in a passenger compartment ventilation duct 106 of the vehicle, and the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106 is used to guide the processed atmospheric air into the passenger compartment of the vehicle to improve the air condition in the passenger compartment. One end of the heater core 105 can be connected to the third valve port of the three-way valve 104, and the other end can be connected to the atmosphere. That is to say, when the first valve port and the third valve port of the three-way valve 104 are connected, the fan 103 transports air from the atmosphere to the heat dissipation cavity 101, and the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 obtains high-temperature air after heat exchange with the engine. At the same time, under the action of the fan 103, the high-temperature air flows out from the air outlet of the heat dissipation cavity 101, and will flow through the first valve port and the third valve port of the three-way valve 104 in sequence to reach the heater core 105, so that the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106, after heat exchange with the heater core 105, transfers the heat of the high-temperature air in the heater core 105 to the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106, thereby making the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106 become hot air, and then the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106 guides the hot air into the passenger compartment, so as to achieve the purpose of increasing the temperature in the passenger compartment.

[0041] In addition, in order to improve the heating capacity of the heater core 105 for the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106, in some embodiments of the present application, the heater core 105 and the third valve port of the three-way valve 104 can be connected by an insulation pipe, so that the cooling rate of the high-temperature air flowing from the third valve port of the three-way valve 104 to the heater core 105 can be reduced under the action of the insulation pipe, which can also make the high-temperature air can increase the temperature of the heater core 105 faster, thereby improving the heating capacity of the heater core 105 for the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106.

[0042] Reference Figure 1 As shown, the engine cooling system 100 may also include a controller 107. The controller 107 is electrically connected to the fan 103 and the three-way valve 104, respectively, so that while controlling the fan 103 to cool down the engine, the valve opening of the three-way valve 104 is adjusted by the received heating delivery signal, so that the three-way valve 104 guides the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 to the warm air core 105, so that the temperature of the warm air core 105 in the passenger compartment air passage rises, and then the air guided to the passenger compartment in the passenger compartment ventilation passage is heated according to the needs of the vehicle driver and passengers, so that the engine cooling system 100 cools down the engine, and uses the heat generated by the engine to reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle when delivering hot air to the passenger compartment. At the same time, by allowing the engine cooling system 100 to take away the excess heat generated by the engine by the way of air delivery by the fan 103, even if the air leaks, the engine can continue to be cooled and the heat generated by the engine can be provided to the warm air core 105, so as to avoid overheating of the engine and improve the safety of the engine cooling system 100.

[0043] Exemplarily, in order to execute a preset control program on the controller, a storage module for storing the control program will be set inside the controller, and the storage module may include a built-in memory and an external memory, the built-in memory is arranged inside the controller, and the external memory is electrically connected to the controller. Among them, the external memory and the built-in memory are used for writing and reading the control program, and storing the execution parameters. For example, the built-in memory is generally directly connected to the MCU (Micro Control Unit) corresponding to the controller, and its storage capacity is generally small, but due to the direct connection with the MCU, its speed is relatively fast. In this application, the built-in memory is used to store the instructions and data of the current running program, and directly exchange information with the MCU. Among them, the built-in memory is composed of many storage units, each unit can store a binary number or an instruction represented by a binary code. The internal memory is composed of a random access memory and a read-only memory. The external memory refers to a memory other than the memory configured by the controller and the MCU cache. Such a memory can still save data after power failure, such as a hard disk, a floppy disk, an optical disk, a U disk, etc.

[0044] It should be understood that Figure 1-Figure 3 This is only an exemplary schematic diagram of the structure of the engine cooling system, and does not limit the structure of the engine cooling system. In actual application scenarios, the engine cooling system may include Figure 1-Figure 3 The different components of the structure shown include Figure 1-Figure 3 The structures shown may have more or fewer components, which is not intended to be limiting.

[0045] Reference Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments of the present application, the controller may also be configured to perform the following steps:

[0046] Step S110, in the process of controlling the fan to cool the engine, obtaining the current operating temperature of the engine in response to the heating delivery signal of the vehicle.

[0047] Among them, the heating delivery signal represents the current demand of the vehicle driver and passengers for the vehicle to deliver hot air to the passenger compartment to increase the temperature in the passenger compartment.

[0048] The way in which the controller obtains the current operating temperature of the engine can be flexibly set as needed. In one example, the engine cooling system may include a temperature sensor for collecting the temperature value of the engine. The temperature sensor may be set on the engine, and the temperature sensor may include a thermistor, a thermocouple, a semiconductor temperature sensor, etc. The temperature sensor is electrically connected to the controller so that after the controller receives the heating delivery signal generated on the vehicle, it directly controls the temperature sensor to collect the temperature value of the engine in response to the heating delivery signal, and uses the collected temperature value as the current operating temperature of the engine.

[0049] In another example, considering that the heat generating component of the engine is in the cylinder block, the temperature values ​​of the cylinder block and the cylinder head of the engine are inconsistent, and the heat dissipated by the two to the heat dissipation cavity is also inconsistent. Based on this, the temperature sensor may include a cylinder block temperature sensor and a cylinder head temperature sensor. The cylinder block temperature sensor is arranged on the cylinder block of the engine, and the cylinder block temperature sensor is used to collect the cylinder block temperature value of the engine. The cylinder head temperature sensor is arranged on the cylinder head of the engine, and the cylinder head temperature sensor is used to collect the cylinder block temperature value and the cylinder head temperature value of the engine. The cylinder block temperature sensor and the cylinder head temperature sensor are respectively electrically connected to the controller, so that after the controller detects the heating transmission signal of the vehicle, in response to the heating transmission signal, the cylinder block temperature sensor and the cylinder head temperature sensor are directly controlled to collect the cylinder block temperature value and the cylinder head temperature value of the engine respectively, and the average temperature value between the collected cylinder block temperature value and the cylinder head temperature value is calculated, so that the calculated average temperature value is used as the current operating temperature of the engine, thereby improving the accuracy of the heat dissipated to the heat dissipation cavity reflected by the current operating temperature of the engine.

[0050] For example, when the engine cylinder temperature value obtained by the cylinder temperature sensor is 80°C and the engine cylinder head temperature value obtained by the cylinder head temperature sensor is 70°C, the average temperature value can be calculated based on the collected cylinder temperature value and cylinder head temperature value, and then the average temperature value is used as the current operating temperature of the engine. That is, when the cylinder temperature value is 80°C and the cylinder head temperature value is 70°C, the current operating temperature of the engine obtained is 75°C.

[0051] Step S120, determining the target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal.

[0052] In an embodiment of the present application, after obtaining the current operating temperature of the engine, the target valve opening can be determined based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal, wherein the heating temperature value represents the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment guided by the passenger compartment ventilation duct as required by the vehicle driver and passengers.

[0053] The method of determining the target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal can be flexibly set as needed. In one example, the valve opening associated with the current operating temperature at the heating temperature value can be directly obtained from the preset memory, and then the obtained valve opening is used as the target valve opening. In other words, the valve openings corresponding to different operating temperatures at different heating temperature values ​​can be pre-associated and stored in the preset memory to shorten the time spent in determining the target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value.

[0054] In another example, the opening unit value corresponding to the three-way valve at the current operating temperature can be obtained, wherein the opening unit value represents the valve opening that needs to be adjusted to change the heater core by one degree Celsius when the engine is at the current operating temperature. The target valve opening is then calculated based on the opening unit value and the heater temperature value to improve the accuracy of the target valve opening determined based on the current operating temperature and the heater temperature value, ensuring that when the three-way valve is at the target valve opening, the heat of the high-temperature air flowing into the heater core from the third valve port is transferred to the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct, so that the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct can reach the heating temperature value.

[0055] Step S130, adjusting the current valve opening of the three-way valve according to the target valve opening.

[0056] In an embodiment of the present application, after the target valve opening is determined, the current valve opening of the three-way valve can be adjusted according to the target valve opening to adjust the output ratio of the three-way valve to direct the air in the heat dissipation cavity to the heater core and the atmosphere, and make the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct reach the heating temperature value after heat exchange with the heater core.

[0057] Among them, the method of adjusting the current valve opening of the three-way valve according to the target valve opening can be flexibly set according to needs. In one example, the current valve opening of the three-way valve can be directly adjusted to the target valve opening so that the temperature of the air in the ventilation duct of the passenger compartment can reach the heating temperature value after heat exchange with the heater core.

[0058] In another example, the current duct air temperature in the passenger compartment ventilation duct can be obtained in the process of adjusting the current valve opening of the three-way valve according to the target valve opening. If it is determined that the current duct air temperature is lower than the heating temperature value, the heating temperature difference between the current duct air temperature and the heating temperature value is determined, and then the opening margin corresponding to the heating temperature difference is obtained, and finally the current valve opening of the three-way valve is adjusted to the sum of the target valve opening and the opening margin; correspondingly, if it is determined that the current duct air temperature reaches the heating temperature value, the current valve opening of the three-way valve is adjusted to the target valve opening, so that when the duct air temperature in the passenger compartment ventilation duct fails to reach the heating temperature value during the heat exchange process with the heater core, the heating capacity of the heater core for the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct can be improved by further adjusting the valve opening, thereby shortening the time for the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct to reach the heating temperature value. At the same time, when the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct reaches the heating temperature value, the valve opening can be adjusted in time to avoid the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct exceeding the heating temperature value.

[0059] Through the above-mentioned implementation mode, the controller can obtain the current operating temperature of the engine in response to the vehicle's heating delivery signal during the process of controlling the fan to cool the engine, and then determine the target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal, so as to adjust the current valve opening of the three-way valve according to the target valve opening, thereby adjusting the output ratio of the three-way valve to direct the air in the heat dissipation cavity to the heater core and the atmosphere, so that the temperature of the air in the ventilation duct of the vehicle's passenger compartment reaches the heating temperature value after heat exchange with the heater core, thereby enabling the engine cooling system to achieve the purpose of cooling the engine and using the heat generated by the engine to reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle when delivering hot air to the passenger compartment. At the same time, in the process of the engine cooling system taking away the excess heat generated by the engine by means of air delivery by the fan, even if the air in the engine cooling system leaks, the engine cooling system can still continue to control the engine, thereby avoiding overheating of the engine and improving the safety of the engine cooling system.

[0060] See also Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 is Figure 4 The flowchart of step S120 in the embodiment shown is in an exemplary embodiment. Figure 5 As shown, the process of determining the target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal may include steps S210 to S220, which are described in detail as follows:

[0061] In step S210 , the target temperature range in which the current operating temperature is located is determined.

[0062] In an embodiment of the present application, taking into account that the operating temperature of the engine itself is volatile and the heating rate of the heater core changes little under smaller temperature fluctuations, based on this, in the process of determining the target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal, the target temperature range of the current operating temperature can be determined first.

[0063] The temperature range can be flexibly adjusted as needed and is not limited here.

[0064] In step S220, the target valve opening is determined according to the target temperature range and the heating temperature value.

[0065] In an embodiment of the present application, after determining the target temperature range of the current operating temperature, the target valve opening can be determined based on the target temperature range and the heating temperature value, so as to ensure that the high-temperature air introduced into the heater core when the three-way valve is at the determined target valve opening. This can ensure that the air in the ventilation duct of the passenger compartment reaches the heating temperature value after heat exchange with the heater core, thereby reducing the amount of data required to determine the target valve opening, thereby shortening the time spent on determining the target valve opening.

[0066] Among them, the method of determining the target valve opening according to the target temperature range and the heating temperature value can be flexibly set according to needs. In one example, the valve opening associated with the target temperature range at the heating temperature value can be directly obtained from the preset memory as the target valve opening. In other words, the valve openings corresponding to different temperature ranges at different heating temperature values ​​can also be pre-associated and stored in the preset memory.

[0067] In another example, the current duct air temperature in the passenger compartment ventilation duct can be obtained first, and then the heating temperature difference between the current duct air temperature and the heater temperature value can be determined, and then the target opening unit value corresponding to the three-way valve in the target temperature range can be obtained, wherein the target opening unit value represents the valve opening that needs to be adjusted by the three-way valve when the engine is in the target temperature range to change the heater core by one degree Celsius unit, and finally the product between the target opening unit value and the heating temperature difference is used as the target valve opening to improve the accuracy of the target valve opening determined according to the target temperature range and the heater temperature value, and ensure that when the three-way valve is at the target valve opening, the heat of the high-temperature air flowing into the heater core from the third valve port is transferred to the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct, so that the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct can reach the heating temperature value.

[0068] Reference Figure 6 As shown, in another exemplary embodiment, the controller may also be configured to perform the following steps:

[0069] Step S310, before controlling the fan to cool the engine, obtaining the current operating parameters of the engine.

[0070] In the implementation manner of the present application, considering that the heat generated by the engine under different operating parameters is different, based on this, before controlling the fan to cool the engine, the current operating parameters of the engine can be obtained first.

[0071] Among them, the method of obtaining the current operating parameters of the engine can be flexibly set as needed. In one example, the current driving condition of the vehicle can be obtained first, and then the operating parameters corresponding to the engine under the current driving condition can be used as the current operating parameters of the engine.

[0072] In another example, the controller can be electrically connected to a sensor component provided on the engine for collecting operating parameters, so that the controller can directly obtain the operating parameters collected by the sensor as the current operating parameters of the engine based on the electrical connection between the sensor component, so as to improve the accuracy of the obtained current operating parameters.

[0073] Step S320, determining the initial speed of the fan based on the current operating parameters and the current air temperature.

[0074] The current air temperature represents the temperature value of the air at the location of the vehicle.

[0075] Since the cooling capacity of the air is related to its own temperature and flow rate during the process of cooling the engine by air, that is, the cooling capacity of the engine cooling system for the engine is related to the temperature of the air at the location and the speed of the fan. In an embodiment of the present application, after obtaining the current operating parameters of the engine, the initial speed of the fan can be determined based on the current operating parameters and the current air temperature.

[0076] The method of determining the initial speed of the fan based on the current operating parameters and the current air temperature can be flexibly set as needed. In one example, the speed associated with the current operating parameters at the current air temperature can be directly obtained from the preset memory, and then the obtained speed is used as the initial speed. In other words, the preset memory can also pre-associate and store the speeds corresponding to different operating parameters at different air temperatures to shorten the time spent on determining the initial speed based on the current operating parameters and the current air temperature.

[0077] In another example, considering that the engine has a maximum operating temperature threshold when operating normally under a certain operating parameter, based on this, the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters can be first obtained, wherein the maximum operating temperature threshold represents the temperature upper limit corresponding to the engine operating normally under the current operating parameters, so as to use the speed corresponding to the maximum operating temperature threshold at the current air temperature as the initial speed, thereby ensuring that during the normal operation of the engine under the current operating parameters, even if the operating temperature of the engine reaches the maximum operating temperature threshold, the fan can avoid overheating of the engine, and at the same time, avoid frequent adjustment of the fan speed when the engine is in the current operating parameters, thereby increasing the service life of the fan.

[0078] Step S330, controlling the fan to cool the engine according to the initial speed to prevent the engine from overheating when operating normally under the current operating parameters.

[0079] In the implementation of the present application, after the initial speed is determined, the fan can be controlled according to the initial speed to cool the engine to prevent the engine from overheating when it is operating normally under the current operating parameters. That is, after the fan speed is controlled to reach the initial speed, the air delivered to the heat dissipation cavity can be heat exchanged with the engine and discharged into the atmosphere by the three-way valve, and the current operating temperature of the engine is not likely to exceed the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the current operating parameters.

[0080] Among them, the method of controlling the fan to cool the engine according to the initial speed can be flexibly set as needed. In one example, the fan speed can be directly controlled to reach the initial speed to avoid overheating of the engine during normal operation under the current operating parameters.

[0081] In another example, considering that the operating temperature of the engine increases with the increase of the operating speed, based on this, the current operating speed of the engine can be obtained first, and then the cooling weight value can be determined based on the current operating speed. After that, the initial speed of the fan is adjusted according to the cooling weight value, and the fan is controlled to cool the engine with the adjusted initial speed, so as to reduce the resources consumed by the fan in the engine cooling system in cooling the engine.

[0082] The method of adjusting the initial rotation speed according to the cooling weight value may be based on a basic mathematical operation algorithm, such as addition, multiplication, division, etc., which is not limited here.

[0083] Through the above-mentioned implementation mode, before controlling the fan to cool down the engine, the controller can first obtain the current operating parameters of the engine, and then determine the initial speed of the fan based on the current operating parameters and the current air temperature, so as to control the fan to cool down the engine according to the initial speed. As a result, after the fan speed reaches the initial speed, the air delivered to the heat dissipation cavity can exchange heat with the engine and be discharged into the atmosphere by the three-way valve. The current operating temperature of the engine is not easy to exceed the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the current operating parameters, thereby achieving the purpose of avoiding overheating of the engine during normal operation under the current operating parameters.

[0084] See also Figure 7 As shown, in Figure 6 After step S330 in the illustrated embodiment, the controller may also be configured to perform the following steps:

[0085] In step S410, it is determined whether the current operating temperature of the engine is greater than a maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters.

[0086] In the implementation of the present application, considering that the engine's operating temperature may be abnormal due to an emergency, misoperation or vehicle failure encountered by the driver and passengers during driving, based on this, after the fan is controlled to cool the engine according to the initial speed, it is possible to determine whether the current operating temperature of the engine is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters. Correspondingly, if it is determined that the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold, it indicates that the current operating temperature of the engine under the current operating parameters is abnormal; if it is determined that the current operating temperature is less than the maximum operating temperature threshold, it indicates that the current operating temperature of the engine under the current operating parameters is not abnormal.

[0087] In addition, in order to further improve the accuracy of determining whether the current operating temperature of the engine is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters, in some embodiments of the present application, the operating temperature of the engine can be first obtained according to the interval duration to obtain multiple operating temperatures. When the number of times the operating temperature is obtained reaches a preset number, the average operating temperature value between the multiple operating temperatures is calculated, and the average operating temperature value is used as the current operating temperature of the engine. Then, it is determined whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold, so as to reduce the impact of short-term fluctuations in the current operating temperature of the engine on the determination process, thereby achieving the purpose of improving the accuracy of determining whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold.

[0088] In some embodiments of the present application, it is also possible to determine whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold according to a preset time, that is, each time it is determined whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold, timing is started, and when the timing time reaches the preset time, it is re-determined whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold. On the one hand, the impact of short-term fluctuations in the current operating temperature of the engine on the determination process can be reduced to improve the accuracy of the determination process. On the other hand, by repeatedly determining whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold for a preset time, it is possible to continuously determine whether the operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold during the operation of the engine, thereby improving the flexibility of the determination process.

[0089] In some embodiments of the present application, it is considered that the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under different operating parameters is different, and the higher the operating temperature of the engine, the higher the probability of engine failure. Correspondingly, the larger the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the operating parameter, the higher the probability of engine failure after the engine operating temperature exceeds the maximum operating temperature threshold. Based on this, the delay time can be determined according to the maximum operating temperature threshold of the current operating parameters. Whenever it is determined whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold, the timing starts. When the timing time reaches the delay time, it is re-determined whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold, so that under different operating parameters of the engine, the corresponding delay time is used to repeatedly determine whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold, further improving the flexibility of the determination process.

[0090] In step S420, if the determination is yes, the over-temperature difference between the current operating temperature and the maximum operating temperature threshold is calculated, and the target speed of the fan is determined based on the initial speed and the over-temperature difference, and the current operating speed of the fan is adjusted to the target speed.

[0091] In an embodiment of the present application, in the process of determining whether the current operating temperature of the engine is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters, if it is determined to be yes, it indicates that the current operating temperature of the engine under the current operating parameters is abnormal, and the over-temperature difference between the current operating temperature and the maximum operating temperature threshold can be determined first, and then the target speed of the fan can be determined based on the initial speed and the over-temperature difference, and then the current operating speed of the fan is adjusted to the target speed, so that the air delivered to the heat dissipation cavity after the fan speed reaches the target speed can eliminate the over-temperature difference between the current operating temperature of the engine and the maximum operating temperature threshold when it is heat exchanged with the engine and discharged into the atmosphere by the three-way valve, thereby further improving the safety of the engine cooling system; at the same time, under the limitation of the over-temperature difference on the target speed, the purpose of reducing the resources consumed by the fan in cooling the engine is achieved.

[0092] Among them, the method of determining the target speed of the fan based on the initial speed and the over-temperature difference can be flexibly set as needed. In one example, the speed unit value can be first determined based on the initial speed, wherein the speed unit value represents the speed required for the fan to reduce the operating temperature of the engine by one degree Celsius each time after reaching the initial speed, and then the product between the speed unit and the over-temperature difference is used as the target speed, so as to eliminate the over-temperature difference between the current operating temperature of the engine and the maximum operating temperature threshold while reducing the resources consumed by the fan in cooling the engine.

[0093] In another example, considering that the temperature of the air at the vehicle's location can also affect the cooling ability of the fan, based on this, the target speed unit corresponding to the initial speed at the current air temperature can be determined first, wherein the target speed unit value represents the speed required for the fan at the current air temperature to reduce the operating temperature of the engine by one degree Celsius each time after reaching the initial speed. The target speed of the fan is then calculated based on the speed unit and the over-temperature difference, thereby improving the accuracy of the determined target speed, so that after the fan speed is adjusted to the target speed, it can further ensure that the over-temperature difference between the current operating temperature of the engine and the maximum operating temperature threshold is eliminated.

[0094] In step S430, if the determination is no, when it is determined that the current operating speed exceeds the initial speed, the current operating speed is adjusted to the initial speed.

[0095] In an embodiment of the present application, in the process of determining whether the current operating temperature of the engine is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold value corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters, if it is determined to be no, it indicates that the current operating temperature of the engine under the current operating parameters has returned to normal, and when it is determined that the current operating speed exceeds the initial speed, the current operating speed can be adjusted to the initial speed, so that while the fan satisfies the requirement to avoid overheating of the engine under the current operating parameters, the resources consumed by the fan in cooling the engine and the noise generated by the fan can be reduced.

[0096] In some embodiments of the present application, the present application also provides a vehicle, which may include: an engine; and an engine cooling system as disclosed in any of the above embodiments, the engine cooling system being used to cool the engine while utilizing the heat generated by the engine to reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle in delivering hot air to the passenger compartment.

[0097] Among them, the vehicle can be various types of motorized and non-motorized vehicles used for daily travel and transportation. For example, the vehicle can be a passenger car: it can include sedans, SUVs, MPVs, etc., which are mainly used for personal and family travel. The vehicle can be a commercial vehicle: this type of vehicle is mainly used for cargo transportation or personnel transfer, such as trucks, buses, school buses, etc. It can also include vans, pickup trucks, special work vehicles, etc. The above is only an exemplary description and does not make specific restrictions.

[0098] When the engine cooling system is running in the vehicle, the engine can be cooled by the fan in the engine cooling system. At the same time, the valve opening of the three-way valve in the engine cooling system is adjusted by the received heating delivery signal, so that the three-way valve guides the air in the heat dissipation cavity arranged on the engine in the engine cooling system into the heater core in the air passage of the passenger compartment, thereby increasing the temperature of the heater core, and then heating the air guided to the passenger compartment in the ventilation passage of the passenger compartment according to the needs of the vehicle occupants, so as to achieve the purpose of cooling the engine by the engine cooling system and using the heat generated by the engine to reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle when delivering hot air to the passenger compartment. At the same time, by allowing the engine cooling system to carry away the excess heat generated by the engine by means of air delivery by the fan, the engine can be continuously cooled and the heat generated by the engine can be provided to the heater core even if the air leaks, thereby avoiding overheating of the engine, improving the safety of the engine cooling system on the vehicle, and correspondingly improving the driving satisfaction of the occupants with the vehicle.

[0099] For the drawings of the present application in the above-mentioned various embodiments, it should be noted that the flowcharts and block diagrams in the drawings illustrate the possible architecture, functions and operations of the systems, methods and computer program products according to the various embodiments of the present application. Among them, each box in the flowchart or block diagram can represent a module, a program segment, or a part of the code, and the above-mentioned module, program segment, or a part of the code contains one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the box can also occur in a different order from the order marked in the drawings. For example, two boxes represented in succession can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram or flowchart, and the combination of boxes in the block diagram or flowchart, can be implemented with a dedicated hardware-based system that performs a specified function or operation, or can be implemented with a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0100] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit it. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

[0101] For the convenience of explanation, the above description has been made in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, the above exemplary discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or limit the embodiments to the specific forms disclosed above. Based on the above teachings, various modifications and variations can be obtained. The selection and description of the above embodiments are to better explain the principles and practical applications, so that those skilled in the art can better use the embodiments and various different variations of the embodiments suitable for specific use considerations.

Claims

1. An engine cooling system, characterized in that: The engine cooling system comprises: A heat dissipation cavity, arranged on the engine of the vehicle, for providing a space for heat exchange between air and the engine; A fan, the air outlet of which is connected to the air inlet of the heat dissipation cavity, the air inlet of which is communicated with the atmosphere, and is used to transport air in the atmosphere into the heat dissipation cavity; A three-way valve, wherein the first valve port is connected to the air outlet of the heat dissipation cavity, and the second valve port is connected to the atmosphere; A heater core is disposed in a passenger compartment ventilation duct on the vehicle for introducing air into the passenger compartment, one end of the heater core is connected to the third valve port of the three-way valve, and the other end is connected to the atmosphere; A controller is electrically connected to the fan and the three-way valve, respectively, and the controller is configured to perform the following steps: In the process of controlling the fan to cool the engine, obtaining a current operating temperature of the engine in response to a heating delivery signal of the vehicle; Determining a target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and a heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal, wherein the heating temperature value represents the air temperature required in the heating delivery signal; The current valve opening of the three-way valve is adjusted according to the target valve opening to adjust the output ratio of the three-way valve to direct the air in the heat dissipation cavity to the heater core and the atmosphere, and the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct reaches the heating temperature value after heat exchange with the heater core.

2. The engine cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The determining the target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal includes: Determining a target temperature range within which the current operating temperature lies; The target valve opening is determined according to the target temperature range and the heating temperature value.

3. The engine cooling system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The step of determining the target valve opening according to the target temperature range and the heating temperature value comprises: Obtaining the current duct air temperature in the passenger compartment ventilation duct; Determining a heating temperature difference between the current pipeline air temperature and the heating temperature value; Obtaining a target opening unit value corresponding to the three-way valve in the target temperature range; The product of the target opening unit value and the heating temperature difference is used as the target valve opening.

4. The engine cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The controller is further configured to perform the following steps: Before controlling the fan to cool the engine, obtaining current operating parameters of the engine; Determining an initial speed of the fan based on the current operating parameters and the current air temperature; The fan is controlled according to the initial rotation speed to cool the engine, so as to prevent the engine from overheating when operating normally under the current operating parameters.

5. The engine cooling system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The determining the initial speed of the fan based on the current operating parameters and the current air temperature includes: Obtaining a maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters, wherein the maximum operating temperature value represents an upper temperature limit corresponding to the normal operation of the engine under the current operating parameters; The rotation speed corresponding to the maximum operating temperature threshold at the current air temperature is used as the initial rotation speed.

6. The engine cooling system according to claim 4, characterized in that: After controlling the fan to cool the engine according to the initial speed, the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: Determining whether the current operating temperature of the engine is greater than a maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters; If the determination is yes, then calculating the over-temperature difference between the current operating temperature and the maximum operating temperature threshold, determining the target speed of the fan based on the initial speed and the over-temperature difference, and adjusting the current operating speed of the fan to the target speed; If the determination is no, then when it is determined that the current operating speed exceeds the initial speed, the current operating speed is adjusted to the initial speed.

7. The engine cooling system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The determining whether the current operating temperature of the engine exceeds a maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters includes: Determine the delay time according to the maximum operating temperature threshold of the current operating parameter; Whenever it is determined whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold, timing is started, and when the timing time reaches the delay time, it is re-determined whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold.

8. The engine cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heat dissipation cavity also includes heat dissipation fins, which are arranged on the side wall of the engine cylinder body close to the heat dissipation cavity.

9. The engine cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fan also includes an air filter; The filter inlet of the air filter is connected to the atmosphere, and the filter outlet is connected to the air inlet of the fan.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that: include: engine; And, as described in any one of claims 1-9, the engine cooling system is used to cool the engine while utilizing the heat generated by the engine to reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle in transporting hot air to the passenger compartment.

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