Control method and control device of cooling fan and vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a control method and device of a cooling fan and a vehicle. The control method comprises the steps that whether sand discharging operation needs to be conducted on the cooling fan currently or not is judged; and if it is determined that the cooling fan needs to be subjected to desilting operation, the cooling fan is controlled to circularly run in a desilting mode until the preset running times are reached, and each running in the desilting mode comprises the steps that the cooling fan is started to run for the first time, and the cooling fan is started to run for the second time; and then the cooling fan is stopped for a second time and then restarted to operate. The sand discharging device has a remarkable sand discharging effect on a cooling fan for a vehicle power device and the like, and is easy to operate and implement and low in application cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fan technology, and more particularly to control methods and control devices for cooling fans and vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Fans are commonly installed on many devices to provide cooling when needed. For example, modern vehicles often have cooling fans installed on power units such as engines. The operation of these fans affects the heat dissipation of the power unit, thus impacting the system's performance. During operation, sand and other debris may enter the cooling fan, affecting its operation and that of related equipment.

[0003] For example, when a vehicle is driving in sandy environments such as deserts or beaches, sand particles can easily enter the cooling fan used in the vehicle's power unit. Especially after a period of time, when the amount of sand accumulated reaches a certain level, this accumulated sand may cause an imbalance in the operation of the entire fan, such as causing severe vibrations or abnormal noises. This will affect the normal operation of the vehicle; for example, the driver may feel the steering wheel vibrating. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a method and device for controlling a cooling fan, as well as a vehicle, which can solve or at least alleviate one or more of the above-mentioned problems and other problems existing in the prior art, or can provide an advantageous alternative technical solution to the prior art.

[0005] First, according to one aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a cooling fan is provided, comprising the steps of:

[0006] Determine whether a sand removal operation is needed for the cooling fan; and

[0007] If it is determined that the cooling fan needs to be desanded, the cooling fan is controlled to enter the desanding mode and run in a cycle until the preset number of runs is reached. Each run in the desanding mode includes: starting the cooling fan to run for a first time, then stopping the cooling fan and holding it for a second time before starting it to run again.

[0008] Optionally, the cooling fan control method according to the present invention further includes the step of:

[0009] Acquire signals related to the operating vibration of the cooling fan; and

[0010] The acquired signal is compared with a preset threshold. If it exceeds the threshold, it is determined that the cooling fan needs to be desanded.

[0011] In the control method of the cooling fan according to the present invention, the signal may optionally be obtained by acquiring the operating parameters of the cooling fan, or by acquiring the signal by a vibration sensor disposed at a position associated with the operating vibration of the cooling fan.

[0012] In the cooling fan control method according to the present invention, optionally, in the sand discharge mode, the operating speed of the cooling fan is controlled to be less than or equal to 600 revolutions per minute.

[0013] In the cooling fan control method according to the present invention, optionally, the second time is greater than or equal to the first time.

[0014] In the cooling fan control method according to the present invention, optionally, the first time range is set to 1-4 seconds, the second time range is set to 4-8 seconds, and the preset number of runs range is set to 20-50 times.

[0015] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, a control device for a cooling fan is also provided, comprising a processor and a memory for storing instructions, wherein, when the instructions are executed, the processor implements the control method for the cooling fan as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0016] In the control device for the cooling fan according to the present invention, the processor may optionally include the cooling fan motor ECU, the vehicle ECU, and the VCU.

[0017] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the invention, a vehicle is provided in which a cooling fan control method as described in any of the foregoing claims is used, or the vehicle is equipped with:

[0018] A power unit, which provides driving force for the vehicle and is equipped with a cooling fan; and

[0019] The control device for the cooling fan described above is electrically connected to the cooling fan.

[0020] In the vehicle according to the invention, the power unit optionally includes an engine and a drive motor.

[0021] This invention offers advantages such as significant sand removal efficiency from cooling fans, ease of operation, and low application cost. It effectively removes accumulated sand from cooling fans in equipment such as vehicle power units, preventing undesirable conditions like equipment vibration and abnormal noise. When applied to vehicles, this invention significantly improves driving comfort and enhances road safety. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the processing flow of an embodiment of a cooling fan control method according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] refer to Figure 1 The document illustrates, by way of example, the basic processing flow of a cooling fan control method embodiment according to the present invention. As an example, in this cooling fan control method embodiment, the cooling fan is exemplified as being configured on a vehicle, and the control method embodiment may include the following steps:

[0024] First, in step S11, sand particles may enter the cooling fan. For example, when a vehicle is driving in sandy areas (such as deserts, beaches, construction sites or scenic spots with a lot of sand, or roads with a lot of sandstorms), sand particles are more likely to enter the cooling fan used for cooling power units (such as engines in fuel vehicles, drive motors in new energy vehicles), and may be attracted to the inner wall of the rotating fan blades or the shaft. If these sand particles accumulate and reach a certain level during driving, they can easily cause an imbalance in the cooling fan's operation, manifesting as shaking (even severe shaking) and abnormal noises. These issues can usually be clearly perceived by the driver through abnormal shaking of the steering wheel or abnormal noises during driving. This not only affects the driving comfort but is also very detrimental to safe driving.

[0025] Therefore, in step S12, a corresponding judgment and analysis can be made regarding whether it is necessary to perform sand removal operation on the cooling fan.

[0026] Specifically, for example, in one or more implementation methods, as described above, the driver can determine whether a sand removal operation is needed based on abnormal vibrations or unusual noises in the vehicle's steering wheel or other devices on the vehicle associated with the cooling fan's operation. If a sand removal operation is determined to be necessary, the process proceeds to step S13 to initiate the sand removal operation; otherwise, it returns to step S11 to continue driving the vehicle in normal driving mode. Figure 1 The above two processing scenarios have been marked with corresponding reference numerals Y and N in the attached figures.

[0027] Furthermore, in step S12, an automatic, non-manual start-up method can be used to initiate the sand removal operation. For example, in one or more embodiments, signals collected from one or more vibration sensors located at positions associated with the operating vibration of the cooling fan can be acquired. These signals are then compared with preset thresholds. If the acquired signal exceeds the threshold, it can be determined that a sand removal operation is needed for the cooling fan, and the process proceeds to step S13 to initiate the sand removal operation. Depending on the application, the vibration sensors can be placed at any suitable location associated with the operating vibration of the cooling fan, such as on one or more cooling fans configured for vehicle power units, vehicle steering wheels, or other vehicle components. In practical use, the analysis and processing can be based on signals collected by a single vibration sensor installed at a specific location, or it can be combined with signals collected by two or more vibration sensors installed at two or more locations for comprehensive analysis and processing. For example, it can be designed so that a sand removal operation for the cooling fan is only initiated when the signals collected by two or more vibration sensors exceed their respective preset thresholds. In addition, in one or more implementations, the operating parameters of the cooling fan (such as operating current, voltage, resistance, etc.) can be used as the above-mentioned signal. For example, the signal of fan vibration at this time can be obtained by detecting abnormal fluctuations in the fan current.

[0028] Next, in step S13, the cooling fan is controlled to enter the sand removal mode and run in a cycle until the preset number of runs is reached, thereby completing the desired operation of removing sand particles from the fan.

[0029] Regarding the sand removal mode mentioned in this article, according to the present invention, it is set to repeat the following operations a preset number of times: first, the cooling fan is controlled to start running for a first time, for example, the cooling fan can reach a first speed (e.g., 120 rpm, 150 rpm, or 200 rpm, etc.) in the first time, and then the cooling fan is controlled to stop and maintain for a second time (generally set to be no less than the first time, but it is also allowed to be set to be greater than the first time in some implementations as needed). For example, the second time can be to allow the cooling fan to naturally decrease from the first speed to the second speed (e.g., close to zero or zero, etc.) after power-off, and then the cooling fan is restarted to run for the above first time, and so on in a cyclical operation.

[0030] The parameters mentioned above, such as the first time, the second time, and the number of runs, can be flexibly set according to actual needs. For example, as an option, the first time can be set to 1-4 seconds, the second time to 4-8 seconds, and the number of runs to 20-50. For instance, the first and second times can be set to 2 seconds and 5 seconds respectively, and the number of runs to 30; or the first and second times can be set to 3 seconds and 6 seconds respectively, and the number of runs to 40; or the first and second times can be set to 4 seconds and 7 seconds respectively, and the number of runs to 45, and so on. As another option, in sand removal mode, the cooling fan speed can typically be controlled to be no greater than 600 RPM, such as less than 120 RPM, 150 RPM, 350 RPM, 450 RPM, or 200 RPM, etc. This operating speed can be used as the first speed mentioned above. Depending on the hub radius of the cooling fan, the operating speed of the cooling fan used for sand removal will vary. Generally, a relatively low operating speed that promotes sand flow out of the fan can be selected. The operating speed of the cooling fan can be controlled by manipulating the rotational speed of a device such as a motor that is configured for the cooling fan; in this case, the operating speed of the cooling fan is equivalent to the rotational speed of this device.

[0031] The sand removal mode proposed in this invention is based on in-depth research and analysis of the principles of sand accumulation in cooling fans of various types of devices, such as vehicle power units. Specifically, the inventors of this application discovered that if the fan blades rotate too fast, the sand particles inside the blades will adhere tightly to the inner wall of the blades due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the fan blades and will not be able to flow out. Moreover, the longer the time, the more sand particles will accumulate inside the fan. If the fan is stopped, the fan speed will gradually decrease until the fan stops completely and the speed is zero. As the centrifugal force weakens and begins to be less than the force of gravity, although some sand particles can be discharged from the fan during the subsequent deceleration process, some sand particles will still remain inside the fan blades due to the influence of the internal structure of the fan blades and will not be discharged. At this time, it is easy to cause serious vibration and abnormal noise problems of the cooling fan.

[0032] The sand removal mode of this application can successfully solve the above problems. This is because by repeatedly and intermittently operating the cooling fan to start and stop (instead of the commonly used and habitual approach in the field that the fan should be kept running continuously to prevent sand from entering the fan and to expel the sand that has already entered the fan under the continuous centrifugal force), especially in the sand removal mode, each sand removal operation can, within the start-up and running time, expel the sand that is currently relatively easy to remove from the fan as quickly as possible based on the centrifugal force, thereby effectively reducing the total amount of sand accumulation. That is, by more start-stop sand removal operations, more sand can be removed more quickly, efficiently and easily, thereby continuously reducing the number of sand particles remaining in the fan to be discharged. Then, based on the centrifugal force after restarting, these remaining sand particles, whose number is decreasing, can be more easily and quickly removed from the cooling fan.

[0033] According to the actual test results, the sand removal mode according to the present invention can achieve a significant sand removal effect when used to remove sand from cooling fans of various types of devices, such as vehicle power units. It can easily, quickly, and satisfactorily achieve a state where the accumulated sand on the fan is essentially removed, thus effectively ensuring system performance. Alternatively, the first time for fan startup can be set to be shorter than the second time for fan shutdown, for example, to a suitable value not exceeding 2.5 times (e.g., setting them to 2 seconds and 5 seconds respectively). Compared to the conventional method of keeping the fan running continuously, this method achieves better sand removal results with less processing time.

[0034] Furthermore, this application also provides a control device for a cooling fan, which includes a processor and a memory for storing instructions. The processor and memory in this cooling fan control device can be implemented using any suitable components, chips, or modules. For example, such a memory can be used to store instructions, and such a processor can be used to implement the corresponding steps contained in the stored instructions. For instance, the processor can include, but is not limited to, a vehicle ECU (Electronic Control Unit) typically configured in a vehicle, an ECU integrated into the motor that drives the cooling fan, a VCU (Vehicle Control Unit), etc., or other separately configured components, chips, or modules. When the stored instructions in the memory are executed, the processor can implement the cooling fan control method according to the present invention. In one or more embodiments, when the ECU integrated into the cooling fan motor is used as the processor, the motor can be conveniently and directly used as a control device to perform sand removal operations on the cooling fan.

[0035] Thus, as an example, by applying the control device of this cooling fan to the vehicle, the very significant sand removal effect described above can be achieved, effectively preventing the vehicle from shaking or making abnormal noises when driving on sand, thereby helping to improve vehicle comfort and ensure driving safety.

[0036] This application further provides a vehicle on which the cooling fan control method provided according to the present invention can be used, or the aforementioned cooling fan control device can be configured on the vehicle. By electrically connecting the control device to a cooling fan, such as that used in a vehicle power unit, the cooling fan can be controlled to perform sand-dissipating operation when needed, even if it enters sand-dissipating mode to effectively remove sand particles that have entered the cooling fan. It should be understood that "sand particles" as used throughout this document includes sand and the like. The vehicle according to the present invention can include, but is not limited to, many types of vehicles such as fuel vehicles, pure electric vehicles, and hybrid vehicles, and can be driven by a power unit such as an engine or drive motor configured on these vehicles.

[0037] The above examples illustrate the control method and device for the cooling fan according to the present invention, as well as the vehicle. These examples are only for illustrating the principles and implementation methods of this application and are not intended to limit the application. Various modifications and improvements can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Therefore, all equivalent technical solutions should fall within the scope of this application and be defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a cooling fan, characterized in that, Including the following steps: Determine whether a sand removal operation is needed for the cooling fan; and If it is determined that the cooling fan needs to be desanded, the cooling fan is controlled to enter the desanding mode and run in a cycle until the preset number of runs is reached. Each run in the desanding mode includes: starting the cooling fan to run for a first time, then stopping the cooling fan and holding it for a second time before starting it to run again.

2. The cooling fan control method according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes the following steps: Acquire signals related to the operating vibration of the cooling fan; as well as The acquired signal is compared with a preset threshold. If it exceeds the threshold, it is determined that the cooling fan needs to be desanded.

3. The cooling fan control method according to claim 2, wherein, The signal can be obtained by collecting the operating parameters of the cooling fan, or by using a vibration sensor located at a position associated with the operating vibration of the cooling fan.

4. The cooling fan control method according to claim 1, wherein, In the sand removal mode, the operating speed of the cooling fan is controlled to be less than or equal to 600 rpm.

5. The cooling fan control method according to claim 1, wherein, The second time is greater than or equal to the first time.

6. The control method for a cooling fan according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The first time range is set to 1-4 seconds, the second time range is set to 4-8 seconds, and the preset number of runs ranges to 20-50 times.

7. A control device for a cooling fan, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory for storing instructions, characterized in that, when the instructions are executed, the processor implements the control method for the cooling fan as described in any one of claims 1-6.

8. The control device for the cooling fan according to claim 7, wherein, The processor includes the motor ECU for the cooling fan, the vehicle ECU, and the VCU.

9. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle uses a control method for the cooling fan as described in any one of claims 1-6, or the vehicle is equipped with: A power unit, which provides driving force for the vehicle and is equipped with a cooling fan; and The control device for the cooling fan as described in claim 7 or 8, wherein the control device is electrically connected to the cooling fan.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein, The power unit includes an engine and a drive motor.

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