Engine cooling system and vehicle

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide an engine cooling system and a vehicle, the engine cooling system comprising: a heat dissipation cavity; a fan; a three-way valve; a heater core; and a controller electrically connected with the fan and the three-way valve, the controller being configured to perform the following steps: obtaining a current operating temperature of the engine in response to a heating delivery signal of the vehicle during cooling of the engine by the fan; determining a target valve opening degree based on the current operating temperature and a heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal, wherein the heating temperature value represents an air temperature required in the heating delivery signal; and adjusting a current valve opening degree of the three-way valve according to the target valve opening degree. The technical solution of the embodiments of the present application can improve the safety of the engine cooling system, ensure that the engine cooling system can cool the engine, and reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle when delivering hot air to the passenger cabin by utilizing the heat generated by the engine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of engine cooling control technology, and more specifically, to an engine cooling system and a vehicle. Background Technology

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

[0003] In related technologies, to maintain the engine at a suitable operating temperature, a typical engine cooling system uses circulating coolant and a radiator to dissipate excess heat generated by the engine. However, in practical applications, if the coolant in the circulation system leaks, the coolant in the engine cooling system will not be able to adequately remove the excess heat generated by the engine, causing engine components to be damaged due to overheating. Simultaneously, it will further affect the heat exchange devices in the vehicle that rely on the heat provided by the engine cooling system to heat the air, causing the heat exchange devices to be unable to effectively heat the air supplied to the vehicle's passenger compartment, forcing the vehicle to consume additional resources to heat this 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 an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of this application provide an engine cooling system and a vehicle.

[0006] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, an engine cooling system is provided, comprising: a heat dissipation cavity disposed on the engine of a vehicle, for providing space for heat exchange between air and the engine; a fan, with its outlet connected to the air inlet of the heat dissipation cavity and the air inlet communicating with the atmosphere, for delivering air from the atmosphere into the heat dissipation cavity; a three-way valve, with a first valve port connected to the air outlet of the heat dissipation cavity and a second valve port communicating with the atmosphere; a heater core disposed 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 communicating with the atmosphere; and a controller. The controller is electrically connected to the fan and the three-way valve, respectively. The controller is configured to perform the following steps: during the process of controlling the fan to cool the engine, the current operating temperature of the engine is obtained in response to the vehicle's heating delivery signal; the target valve opening is 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 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 guide the air in the heat dissipation cavity to the heating core and the atmosphere, and to ensure that the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct reaches the heating temperature value after heat exchange with the heating core.

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

[0008] In one embodiment of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, determining the target valve opening degree according to the target temperature range and the heating temperature value includes: obtaining the current duct temperature in the crew cabin ventilation duct; determining the heating temperature difference between the current duct temperature and the heating temperature value; obtaining the target opening degree unit value corresponding to the three-way valve under the target temperature range; and using the product between the target opening degree unit value and the heating temperature difference as the target valve opening degree.

[0009] In one embodiment of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the controller is further 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, so as to avoid the engine overheating when operating normally under the current operating parameters.

[0010] In one embodiment of this 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 limit of the temperature corresponding to the engine when it is operating normally 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 this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, 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 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, adjusting the current operating speed to the initial speed when it is determined that the current operating speed exceeds the initial speed.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, determining whether the current operating temperature of the engine exceeds the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the current operating parameters includes: determining a delay duration based on the maximum operating temperature threshold of the current operating parameters; starting a timer whenever it is determined whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold; and re-determining whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold after the timer has elapsed for the delay duration.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the heat dissipation cavity further includes heat dissipation fins, which are disposed on the side wall of the engine block near the heat dissipation cavity.

[0014] In one embodiment of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, 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 the embodiments of this application, a vehicle is provided, including: an engine; and an engine cooling system as described in any of the above embodiments, the engine cooling system being used to reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle when delivering hot air to the passenger compartment by utilizing the heat generated by the engine while cooling the engine.

[0016] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, the controller can obtain the current operating temperature of the engine in response to the vehicle's heating supply signal during the process of controlling the fan to cool the engine. Then, based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating supply signal, it determines the target valve opening. Subsequently, it adjusts 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 guiding the air in the heat dissipation cavity to the heating core and the atmosphere. This ensures 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 heating 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 supplying hot air to the passenger compartment. At the same time, the engine cooling system removes the excess heat generated by the engine by supplying air with the fan. Even if there is an air leak, it can continue to cool the engine and provide the heat generated by the engine to the heating core, thereby avoiding engine overheating, improving the safety of the engine cooling system, and ensuring that the heating core effectively heats the air supplied to the vehicle's passenger compartment, preventing the vehicle from consuming other resources when heating the air. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort. In the drawings:

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an engine cooling system provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application;

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

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

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

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

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

[0024] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A flowchart of an example embodiment following step S330 in the illustrated embodiment; Detailed Implementation

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

[0026] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this 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 can be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0028] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative and do not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor do they necessarily have to be performed in the described order. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined; therefore, the actual execution order may change depending on the specific circumstances.

[0029] It should be noted that "multiple" in this article refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an engine cooling system provided in an exemplary embodiment of this 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 the engine 102 of the vehicle, and the heat dissipation cavity 101 is used to provide space for heat exchange between the air and the engine. The arrangement of the heat dissipation cavity 101 on the engine 102 can be flexibly configured as needed. In one example, the heat dissipation cavity 101 may be disposed on one side wall of the engine 102, so that the air entering the heat dissipation cavity 101 can 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 within the cavity. This expands 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. This improves the heat exchange efficiency between the air and the engine. At the same time, the heat dissipation cavity 101 can help fix 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 and impurities from the external environment from damaging the components of the engine 102.

[0033] In some embodiments of this application, in order to increase the heat exchange efficiency between the air inside the heat dissipation cavity 101 and the engine, the heat dissipation cavity 101 may include heat dissipation fins, as shown in the reference. Figure 2 As shown, the heat dissipation fins 201 can be disposed on the side wall of the engine 102 near the heat dissipation cavity 101, so that the heat dissipation fins 201 can absorb the heat generated by the engine 102. In this way, the heat transfer area between the air and the engine is indirectly expanded during the heat exchange process between the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 and the heat dissipation fins 201, thereby further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 to the engine.

[0034] In addition, to further enhance the heat exchange efficiency of the heat dissipation fins 201, in one example, the number of heat dissipation fins 201 can be increased by arranging multiple heat dissipation fins 201 at intervals on the side wall of the engine 102 near the heat dissipation cavity 101. This increases the amount of heat absorbed by the heat dissipation fins 201 from the engine and expands the heat transfer area between the air and the heat dissipation fins 201, thereby further improving the heat exchange efficiency between the air and the engine in the heat dissipation cavity 101.

[0035] In another example, materials with high thermal conductivity, such as copper, graphene, and alumina, can be selected as the heat dissipation fins 201 to increase the rate at which the heat dissipation fins 201 absorb heat from the engine, thereby further improving the heat exchange efficiency between the air in the heat dissipation 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 open to the atmosphere. The fan 103 is used to deliver air from the atmosphere into the heat dissipation cavity 101. The fan 103 may include a centrifugal fan, an axial flow fan, or a crossflow fan, etc.

[0037] In some embodiments of this application, the fan 103 may further include an air filter 301, see reference 1. 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. This allows the air filter 301 to filter impurities in the air during the process of the fan 103 delivering air from the atmosphere to the heat dissipation cavity 101, thereby preventing impurities in the air from affecting the operation of the fan 103 and from causing wear on the structure of the heat dissipation cavity 101 and the engine.

[0038] In some embodiments of this 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 open 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. This allows the air drawn into the fan 103 to be filtered by the first filter during operation, thereby reducing the probability of impurities in the air entering the fan 103 and thus reducing the probability of impurities in the air causing the fan 103 to malfunction. The air blown into the heat dissipation cavity 101 by the fan 103 is further filtered by the second filter, further reducing the probability of impurities in the air entering the heat dissipation cavity 101, thereby reducing the probability of the structure 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 air flowing out of the heat dissipation cavity 101. In some embodiments of this 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 open to the atmosphere. That is, when the first valve port and the second valve port of the three-way valve 104 are open, and the fan 103 delivers air from the atmosphere into the heat dissipation cavity 101, the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 exchanges heat with the engine, transferring the heat of the engine 102 to the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101, thereby making the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 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 before being discharged into the atmosphere, so as to reduce the temperature of the engine 102 and prevent the engine 102 from overheating.

[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 the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106 of the vehicle, which is used to guide treated atmospheric air into the passenger compartment of the vehicle to improve the air conditions inside 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 open to the atmosphere. That is, when the first valve port and the third valve port of the three-way valve 104 are open, and the fan 103 delivers air from the atmosphere to the heat dissipation cavity 101, the air in the heat dissipation cavity 101 exchanges heat with the engine to obtain 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 flows through the first valve port and the third valve port of the three-way valve 104 in sequence to reach the heater core 105. Thus, after the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106 exchanges heat with the heater core 105, the heat of the high-temperature air in the heater core 105 is transferred to the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106, thereby turning the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106 into hot air. Then, the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106 guides the hot air into the passenger compartment to achieve the purpose of raising the temperature inside the passenger compartment.

[0041] In addition, in order to improve the heating capacity of the heater core 105 for the air inside the passenger compartment ventilation duct 106, in some embodiments of this application, the heater core 105 and the third valve port of the three-way valve 104 can be connected by an insulated pipe. This allows 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 to be reduced by the insulated pipe, which in turn allows the high-temperature air to raise the temperature of the heater core 105 more quickly, thereby improving the heating capacity of the heater core 105 for the air inside 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. While controlling the fan 103 to cool the engine, the controller 107 adjusts the opening of the three-way valve 104 based on the received heating air delivery signal. This causes the three-way valve 104 to guide the air in the heat dissipation chamber 101 into the heating core 105, thereby increasing the temperature of the heating core 105 in the passenger compartment air passage. This heats the air in the passenger compartment ventilation passage according to the needs of the vehicle's occupants, achieving the purpose of cooling the engine through the engine cooling system 100 and reducing the resources consumed by the vehicle when delivering hot air to the passenger compartment by utilizing the heat generated by the engine. At the same time, by using the fan 103 to deliver air to remove excess heat generated by the engine, the engine cooling system 100 can continue to cool the engine and provide heat generated by the engine to the heating core 105 even if there is an air leak, thereby preventing the engine from overheating and improving the safety of the engine cooling system 100.

[0043] To illustrate, in order to execute a preset control program on the controller, the controller internally includes a storage module for storing the control program. This storage module can include internal memory and external memory. The internal memory is located inside the controller, while the external memory is electrically connected to the controller. Both the internal and external memory are used for writing and reading the control program, as well as storing execution parameters. For example, the internal memory is typically directly connected to the MCU (Microcontroller Unit) corresponding to the controller. Its storage capacity is generally small, but due to its direct connection to the MCU, its speed is relatively fast. In this application, the internal memory is used to store the instructions and data of the currently running program and directly exchange information with the MCU. The internal memory consists of many storage units, each capable of storing a binary number or an instruction represented by binary code. The internal memory is composed of random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). External memory refers to memory other than the controller's internal memory and MCU cache. Such memory generally retains data even after power is off, such as hard drives, floppy disks, optical disks, and USB flash drives.

[0044] It should be understood that, above Figures 1-3 This is merely a schematic diagram of an exemplary engine cooling system and does not imply any limitation on the structure of such systems. In practical applications, engine cooling systems may include... Figures 1-3 The different components of the structure shown, such as those including... Figures 1-3 The structure shown may have more or fewer components, without limitation.

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

[0046] In step S110, during the process of controlling the fan to cool the engine, the current operating temperature of the engine is obtained in response to the vehicle's heating delivery signal.

[0047] Among them, the heating delivery signal indicates the current demand of the vehicle's occupants for hot air to be delivered into the passenger compartment to raise the temperature inside the passenger compartment.

[0048] The controller can flexibly configure the method for acquiring the engine's current operating temperature as needed. In one example, the engine cooling system may include a temperature sensor for acquiring the engine's temperature value. The temperature sensor can be located on the engine and may include a thermistor, thermocouple, semiconductor temperature sensor, etc. The temperature sensor is electrically connected to the controller so that after receiving a heating supply signal generated on the vehicle, the controller directly controls the temperature sensor to acquire the engine's temperature value in response to the heating supply signal, and uses the acquired temperature value as the engine's current operating temperature.

[0049] In another example, considering that the engine's heat-generating components are located in the cylinder block, the temperature values ​​of the cylinder block and cylinder head are inconsistent, resulting in inconsistent heat dissipation into the cooling chamber. Therefore, the temperature sensors can include a cylinder block temperature sensor and a cylinder head temperature sensor. The cylinder block temperature sensor is located in the engine block and is used to collect the engine block temperature value. The cylinder head temperature sensor is located on the engine cylinder head and is used to collect both the cylinder block and cylinder head temperature values. Both the cylinder block and cylinder head temperature sensors are electrically connected to a controller, so that after the controller detects a heating signal from the vehicle, it directly controls the cylinder block and cylinder head temperature sensors to collect the engine block and cylinder head temperature values ​​respectively, and calculates the average temperature value between the collected cylinder block and cylinder head temperatures. This average temperature value is then used as the engine's current operating temperature, thereby improving the accuracy of the heat dissipation into the cooling chamber reflected by the engine's current operating temperature.

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

[0051] Step S120: Determine the target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating supply signal.

[0052] In the embodiments of this 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. The heating temperature value represents the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment guided by the ventilation duct of the passenger compartment to the passenger compartment required by the vehicle's occupants.

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

[0054] In another example, the opening unit value of the three-way valve at the current operating temperature can be obtained. The opening unit value represents the valve opening that the three-way valve needs to adjust to change the heater core by one degree Celsius when the engine is at the current operating temperature. Then, the target valve opening is 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. This ensures 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 heater temperature value.

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

[0056] In the embodiments of this application, after determining the target valve opening, 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 guiding the air in the heat dissipation cavity to the heating core and the atmosphere, and to make the temperature of the air in the crew cabin ventilation duct reach the heating temperature value after heat exchange with the heating core.

[0057] The method of adjusting the current valve opening of the three-way valve according to the target valve opening can be flexibly set as needed. In one example, the current valve opening of the three-way valve can be directly adjusted to the target valve opening so that the air in the crew cabin ventilation duct can reach the heating temperature value after heat exchange with the heating core.

[0058] In another example, during the process of adjusting the current valve opening of the three-way valve according to the target valve opening, the current duct temperature in the passenger compartment ventilation duct can be obtained. If it is determined that the current duct temperature is lower than the heating temperature, the heating temperature difference between the current duct temperature and the heating temperature is determined, and then the opening margin corresponding to the heating temperature difference is obtained. Finally, the current valve opening of the three-way valve is adjusted to the sum of the target valve opening and the opening margin. Conversely, if it is determined that the current duct temperature reaches the heating temperature, the current valve opening of the three-way valve is adjusted to the target valve opening. This allows for further adjustment of the valve opening to enhance the heating capacity of the heating core for the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct when the duct temperature fails to reach the heating temperature during heat exchange with the heating core. This shortens the time it takes for the air temperature in the passenger compartment ventilation duct to reach the heating temperature. At the same time, when the air temperature in the passenger compartment ventilation duct reaches the heating temperature, the valve opening can be adjusted in a timely manner to prevent the air temperature in the passenger compartment ventilation duct from exceeding the heating temperature.

[0059] Through the above implementation method, during the process of controlling the fan to cool the engine, the controller can obtain the current operating temperature of the engine in response to the vehicle's heating supply signal. Then, based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating supply signal, it determines the target valve opening. The controller then adjusts 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 guiding the air in the heat dissipation cavity to the heating core and the atmosphere. This ensures that the air in the ventilation duct of the vehicle's passenger compartment reaches the heating temperature value after heat exchange with the heating core. As a result, the engine cooling system achieves the purpose of cooling the engine and using the heat generated by the engine to reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle when supplying hot air to the passenger compartment. At the same time, during the process of the engine cooling system removing excess heat generated by the engine by supplying air with the fan, even if there is an air leak in the engine cooling system, the engine cooling system can still continuously cool the engine, thereby preventing the engine from overheating and improving the safety of the engine cooling system.

[0060] See Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 Is Figure 4 The flowchart of step S120 in an exemplary embodiment shown in the illustration is as follows. 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 supply signal can include steps S210 to S220, which are described in detail below:

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

[0062] In the embodiments of this application, considering that the operating temperature of the engine itself is volatile, and that the heating rate of the heater core changes little under small temperature fluctuations, the target valve opening can be determined first based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating delivery signal.

[0063] The temperature range can be adjusted flexibly as needed, and there are no restrictions here.

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

[0065] In the embodiments of this 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. This ensures that the high-temperature air introduced into the heating core when the three-way valve is at the determined target valve opening value can achieve the same temperature as the heating core after heat exchange between the air in the passenger compartment ventilation duct and the heating core. This reduces the amount of data required to determine the target valve opening and shortens the time required to determine the target valve opening.

[0066] The method of determining the target valve opening based on the target temperature range and the heating temperature value can be flexibly set as needed. In one example, the valve opening associated with the target temperature range under the heating temperature value can be directly obtained from the preset memory as the target valve opening. In other words, the preset memory can also pre-store the valve openings corresponding to different temperature ranges under different heating temperature values.

[0067] In another example, the current duct temperature in the passenger compartment ventilation duct can be obtained first, then the heating temperature difference between the current duct temperature and the heating temperature value can be determined. Next, the target opening unit value of the three-way valve within the target temperature range can be obtained. This target opening unit value represents the valve opening required to change the heater core by one degree Celsius when the engine is within the target temperature range. Finally, the product of the target opening unit value and the heating temperature difference is used as the target valve opening. This improves the accuracy of the target valve opening determined based on the target temperature range and the heating temperature value, ensuring that when the three-way valve is at the target valve opening, the heat from 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, allowing the air temperature in the passenger compartment ventilation duct to 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, obtain the current operating parameters of the engine.

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

[0071] The method for obtaining the engine's current operating parameters can be flexibly set as needed. In one example, the current driving conditions of the vehicle can be obtained first, and then the engine's operating parameters under the current driving conditions can be used as the engine's current operating parameters.

[0072] In another example, the controller can be electrically connected to a sensor assembly 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 with the sensor assembly, thereby improving the accuracy of the obtained current operating parameters.

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

[0074] The current air temperature represents the air temperature at the vehicle's location.

[0075] Since the cooling capacity of the air is related to its own temperature and flow rate during the process of cooling the engine, the cooling capacity of the engine cooling system is related to the temperature of the air at the location and the speed of the fan. In the embodiments of this 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 can be used as the initial speed. In other words, the preset memory can also pre-store the speeds corresponding to different operating parameters at different air temperatures to shorten the time required to determine 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 certain operating parameters, the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters can be obtained first. The maximum operating temperature threshold represents the upper limit of the temperature corresponding to the engine when operating normally under the current operating parameters. The speed corresponding to the maximum operating temperature threshold at the current air temperature is used as the initial speed. This ensures that even if the engine's operating temperature reaches the maximum operating temperature threshold during normal operation under the current operating parameters, the fan can avoid overheating of the engine. At the same time, it avoids frequent adjustments to the fan speed when the engine is operating under the current parameters, thereby improving the service life of the fan.

[0078] Step S330: Control the fan to cool the engine according to the initial speed to avoid overheating when the engine is running normally under the current operating parameters.

[0079] In the embodiments of this application, after determining the initial speed, the fan can be controlled to cool the engine based on the initial speed to prevent the engine from overheating during normal operation under the current operating parameters. That is, when the air delivered to the heat dissipation cavity after the fan speed reaches the initial speed is able to exchange heat with the engine and be discharged into the atmosphere through the three-way valve, the current operating temperature of the engine is unlikely to exceed the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the current operating parameters.

[0080] The method of controlling the fan to cool the engine based on the initial speed can be flexibly set as needed. In one example, the fan speed can be directly controlled to reach the initial speed in order to avoid overheating of the engine when it is running normally under the current operating parameters.

[0081] In another example, considering that the engine operating temperature increases with the increase of the operating speed, 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. Then, the initial speed of the fan can be adjusted according to the cooling weight value, and the fan can be 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 to cool the engine.

[0082] The method of adjusting the initial rotation speed according to the cooling weight value can be based on basic mathematical algorithms, such as addition, multiplication, division, etc., and there are no restrictions here.

[0083] Through the above implementation method, before controlling the fan to cool 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. The fan is then controlled to cool the engine according to the initial speed. This ensures that when the air delivered to the heat dissipation cavity by the fan reaches the initial speed, it can exchange heat with the engine and be discharged into the atmosphere through the three-way valve. This prevents the current operating temperature of the engine from exceeding the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the current operating parameters, thereby avoiding overheating of the engine during normal operation under the current operating parameters.

[0084] See Figure 7 As shown, in Figure 6 After step S330 in the illustrated embodiment, the controller can 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 the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the current operating parameters of the engine.

[0086] In the embodiments of this application, considering that during vehicle operation, the engine operating temperature may become abnormal due to emergencies, misoperation, or vehicle malfunctions encountered by the driver or passengers, an algorithm can be used to control the fan to cool the engine based on the initial speed, and then determine whether the current operating temperature of the engine is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the current operating parameters. Correspondingly, if the current operating temperature is determined to be 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 the current operating temperature is determined to be 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, 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 current operating parameters, in some embodiments of this application, the engine operating temperature can be obtained at intervals to obtain multiple operating temperatures. When the number of times the operating temperature is obtained reaches a preset number, the average operating temperature value among 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. This reduces the impact of short-term fluctuations in the current operating temperature of the engine on the determination process, thereby improving the accuracy of determining whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold.

[0088] In some embodiments of this application, the determination of whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold can also be performed according to a preset time. That is, the timing starts every time the current operating temperature is determined to be greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold, and when the preset time is reached, the determination of whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold is re-established. On the one hand, this can reduce the impact of short-term fluctuations in the current operating temperature of the engine on the determination process, thereby improving 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 through a preset time, the determination of whether the operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold can be continuously established during engine operation, thereby improving the flexibility of the determination process.

[0089] In some embodiments of this application, considering that the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to different engine operating parameters is different, and that the higher the engine operating temperature, the higher the probability of engine failure, and correspondingly, the higher the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the operating parameters, the higher the probability of engine failure after the engine operating temperature exceeds the maximum operating temperature threshold, a delay duration can be determined first based on the maximum operating temperature threshold of the current operating parameters. Timing begins whenever it is determined whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold. When the timing reaches the delay duration, the determination of whether the current operating temperature is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold is repeated using the corresponding delay duration under different engine operating parameters, further improving the flexibility of the determination process.

[0090] In step S420, if it is determined to be 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 the embodiments of this application, during the process of determining whether the current operating temperature of the engine is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the current operating parameters of the engine, if it is determined to be greater than or equal to the maximum operating temperature threshold, it indicates that the current operating temperature of the engine under the current operating parameters is abnormal. Then, the over-temperature difference between the current operating temperature and the maximum operating temperature threshold can be determined first. Then, the target speed of the fan can be determined based on the initial speed and the over-temperature difference. After that, 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 and the maximum operating temperature threshold when it exchanges heat with the engine and is discharged into the atmosphere through the three-way valve, thereby further improving the safety of the engine cooling system. At the same time, under the limitation of the target speed by the over-temperature difference, the resource consumption of the fan in cooling the engine is reduced.

[0092] 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 determined first based on the initial speed. The speed unit value represents the speed required for the fan to reduce the engine's operating temperature by one degree Celsius each time after reaching the initial speed. Then, the product between the speed unit and the over-temperature difference is used as the target speed. This aims to eliminate the over-temperature difference between the engine's current operating temperature 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 air temperature at the vehicle's location can also affect the cooling capacity of the fan, the target speed unit corresponding to the initial speed at the current air temperature can be determined first. The target speed unit value represents the speed required for the fan at the current air temperature to reduce the engine's operating temperature by one degree Celsius each time after reaching the initial speed. Then, the target speed of the fan is calculated based on the speed unit and the over-temperature difference, thereby improving the accuracy of the determined target speed. This ensures that after the fan speed is adjusted to the target speed, the over-temperature difference between the engine's current operating temperature and the maximum operating temperature threshold can be eliminated.

[0094] In step S430, 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.

[0095] In the embodiments of this application, during the process of determining whether the current operating temperature of the engine is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the current operating parameters of the engine, if it is determined that it is not, it indicates that the current operating temperature of the engine under the current operating parameters has returned to normal. Then, when it is determined that the current operating speed exceeds the initial speed, the current operating speed can be adjusted to the initial speed. This is to reduce the resources consumed by the fan in cooling the engine and the noise generated by the fan while ensuring that the fan avoids overheating of the engine under the current operating parameters.

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

[0097] The term "vehicle" can refer to various motorized and non-motorized vehicles used for daily travel and transportation. For example, a vehicle can be a passenger car, including sedans, SUVs, and MPVs, primarily used for personal and family travel. A vehicle can also be a commercial vehicle, mainly used for freight transport or passenger shuttle services, such as trucks, buses, and school buses. It may also include vans, pickup trucks, and special-purpose vehicles. The above is merely an illustrative example and does not impose specific limitations.

[0098] During operation, the engine cooling system cools the engine using its fan. Simultaneously, it adjusts the opening of a three-way valve in the system based on received heating signals. This valve directs air from the engine's cooling chambers into the passenger compartment's heating core, raising its temperature. This heat, in turn, heats the air in the passenger compartment's ventilation system, cooling the engine and reducing resource consumption when delivering hot air to the passenger compartment. Furthermore, by using a fan to remove excess heat from the engine, the system continues to cool the engine and supply heat to the heating core even in the event of an air leak, preventing overheating and enhancing vehicle safety. This ultimately improves passenger satisfaction.

[0099] Regarding the accompanying drawings of the various embodiments of this application, it should be noted that the flowcharts and block diagrams in the drawings illustrate the architecture, functions, and operations of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. Each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, program segment, or part of code, which includes one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than that shown in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using 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 this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0101] For ease of explanation, the above description has been provided in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, the above exemplary discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the specific forms disclosed above. Various modifications and variations can be obtained based on the above teachings. The selection and description of the above embodiments are for the purpose of better explaining the principles and practical applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better utilize the described embodiments and various different variations of embodiments suitable for specific use considerations.

Claims

1. An engine cooling system, characterized in that, The engine cooling system includes: A heat dissipation cavity, located on the vehicle's engine, serves to provide space for heat exchange between the air and the engine; The fan has an air outlet connected to the air inlet of the heat dissipation cavity, which is open to the atmosphere and is used to transport air from the atmosphere into the heat dissipation cavity. The three-way valve has a first valve port connected to the air outlet of the heat dissipation cavity, and a second valve port open to the atmosphere. The heater core is installed in the passenger compartment ventilation duct of 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 open to the atmosphere. A controller, electrically connected to both the fan and the three-way valve, is configured to perform the following steps: During the process of controlling the fan to cool the engine, the current operating temperature of the engine is obtained in response to the vehicle's heating supply signal; The target valve opening is determined based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating supply signal, wherein the heating temperature value represents the air temperature required in the heating supply signal; Adjust 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 guide the air in the heat dissipation cavity to the heating 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 heating core.

2. The engine cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of determining the target valve opening based on the current operating temperature and the heating temperature value corresponding to the heating supply signal includes: Determine the target temperature range within which the current operating temperature falls; The target valve opening degree is determined based on the target temperature range and the heating temperature value.

3. The engine cooling system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Determining the target valve opening based on the target temperature range and the heating temperature value includes: Obtain the current air temperature in the crew cabin ventilation ducts; Determine the heating temperature difference between the current pipe air temperature and the heating temperature value; Obtain the target opening unit value of the three-way valve within the target temperature range; The target valve opening is the product of the target opening unit value and the heating temperature difference.

4. The engine cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to perform the following steps: Before controlling the fan to cool the engine, the current operating parameters of the engine are obtained; The initial speed of the fan is determined based on the current operating parameters and the current air temperature; The fan is controlled to cool the engine based on the initial rotational speed in order 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, Determining the initial speed of the fan based on the current operating parameters and the current air temperature includes: Obtain the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the engine under the current operating parameters, wherein the maximum operating temperature threshold represents the upper limit of the temperature corresponding to the engine when it is operating normally under the current operating parameters; The rotational speed corresponding to the maximum operating temperature threshold at the current air temperature is taken as the initial rotational speed.

6. The engine cooling system according to claim 4, characterized in that, After controlling the fan to cool the engine based on the initial rotational speed, the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: Determine whether the current operating temperature of the engine is greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the current operating parameters of the engine; If it is determined to be yes, then calculate the over-temperature difference between the current operating temperature and the maximum operating temperature threshold, and determine the target speed of the fan based on the initial speed and the over-temperature difference, and adjust the current operating speed of the fan to the target speed; If the result is negative, 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, Determining whether the current operating temperature of the engine exceeds the maximum operating temperature threshold corresponding to the current operating parameters includes: The delay duration is determined based on the maximum operating temperature threshold of the current operating parameters. Timing begins whenever the current operating temperature is determined to be greater than the maximum operating temperature threshold. After the timing reaches the delay period, the current operating temperature is re-determined to be 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 disposed on the side wall of the engine block near the heat dissipation cavity.

9. The engine cooling system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fan also includes an air filter; The air filter inlet is open 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, the engine cooling system as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the engine cooling system is used to reduce the resources consumed by the vehicle when delivering hot air to the passenger compartment by utilizing the heat generated by the engine while cooling the engine.

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