A temperature rise control method and system for preventing engine oil dilution of a hybrid engine and a vehicle

Abstract

The application provides a warm-up control method and system for preventing engine oil dilution of a hybrid engine and a vehicle, and belongs to the technical field of engine control of hybrid vehicles. The method comprises the following steps: obtaining an ambient temperature and an initial engine water temperature; starting a short-range working condition counter and a warm-up control function when the ambient temperature is lower than an ambient temperature threshold and the initial engine water temperature is lower than an initial water temperature threshold; performing a counting operation on the short-range working condition counter according to the relationship between the engine water temperature and a first water temperature threshold and the relationship between the time during which the engine water temperature continuously reaches the first water temperature threshold and a duration threshold; triggering a first-level warm-up control after the engine is started when the short-range working condition counter exceeds a first counting threshold; and triggering a second-level warm-up control when the engine is started compulsively at a vehicle speed higher than a vehicle speed threshold when the short-range working condition counter exceeds a second counting threshold, wherein the second counting threshold is greater than the first counting threshold. The application can trigger the warm-up control in stages, thereby preventing engine oil emulsification and dilution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of hybrid vehicle engine control technology, and particularly relates to a method, system and vehicle for controlling temperature rise in hybrid engines to prevent oil dilution. Background Technology

[0002] In actual use, hybrid vehicles often face the problem of insufficient engine temperature rise when driving short distances in low-temperature environments. The core function of engine oil is to lubricate, cool, and clean the internal engine components. When water or fuel mixes into the engine oil, it will cause the oil to emulsify and dilute, resulting in a significant decrease in its lubricating performance, viscosity, and other indicators. This will prevent it from effectively protecting the engine, and long-term use will lead to accelerated internal engine wear, component corrosion, and reduced power.

[0003] However, the engine control strategies of existing hybrid vehicles are significantly inadequate when dealing with specific low-temperature operating scenarios. They lack targeted active protection mechanisms and rely solely on the engine to warm up naturally, making it difficult to quickly raise the oil temperature to an effective range for water removal. They also cannot accurately identify and accumulate short-mileage operating conditions, resulting in water in the oil not being able to evaporate and be discharged in time, and fuel not being able to be fully separated. Emulsification and dilution problems occur repeatedly, failing to fundamentally protect the engine. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, this invention proposes a temperature rise control method, system, and vehicle for preventing oil dilution in hybrid engines. This addresses the problem that insufficient engine temperature rise in hybrid vehicles operating under low-temperature, short-mileage conditions leads to ineffective oil dehydration, resulting in oil emulsification and dilution, ultimately damaging the engine. The invention achieves accurate identification and counting of high-risk low-temperature, short-mileage operating conditions, triggers a graded temperature rise control strategy based on the counting results, ensures the engine reaches sufficient operating temperature and continues to run, and provides user-aided prompts to assist in engine protection.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, one or more embodiments of the present invention provide the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, the present invention discloses a method for controlling the temperature rise of a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution, comprising: The system acquires the ambient temperature and the initial engine coolant temperature. When the ambient temperature is lower than the ambient temperature threshold and the initial engine coolant temperature is lower than the initial coolant temperature threshold, the system activates the short-mileage operating condition counting and temperature rise control function. Based on the relationship between engine coolant temperature and the first coolant temperature threshold, and the relationship between the time it takes for engine coolant temperature to continuously reach the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration threshold, a counting operation is performed on the short-mileage operating condition counter. When the short-mileage operating condition counter exceeds the first counting threshold, a first-level temperature rise control is triggered after the engine starts. When the short-mileage condition counter exceeds the second counting threshold, the engine is forcibly started when the vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle speed threshold, triggering the secondary temperature rise control; wherein the second counting threshold is greater than the first counting threshold.

[0006] A further technical solution is that the counting operation is as follows: if the engine coolant temperature does not reach the first coolant temperature threshold in the current driving cycle, the short-mileage condition counter is incremented by one; if the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold in the current driving cycle, but the duration is lower than the duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter remains unchanged; if the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold in the current driving cycle, and the duration is not lower than the duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter is cleared to zero.

[0007] A further technical solution involves the first-level temperature rise control, which controls the engine to run continuously until the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration is not lower than the duration threshold. Then, the engine is allowed to shut off and the short-mileage condition counter is reset to zero. If the driving cycle ends before the engine reaches the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter is incremented by 1. If the engine runs but does not meet the requirement of the coolant temperature exceeding the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration exceeding the duration threshold, the counter remains unchanged.

[0008] A further technical solution is that the secondary temperature rise control controls the engine to run continuously until the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration is not less than the duration threshold, then allows the engine to shut down and resets the short-mileage condition counter to zero.

[0009] A further technical solution, the secondary temperature rise control also includes: if the driving cycle ends before the engine reaches the first water temperature threshold and the duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter is incremented by 1; if the engine does not reach the requirement of water temperature exceeding the first water temperature threshold after running, the counter remains unchanged.

[0010] Further technical solutions include user prompts: when the primary or secondary temperature rise control is triggered, the engine control module sends a prompt signal to the vehicle's instrument panel, and the instrument panel displays the prompt information.

[0011] Secondly, this invention discloses a temperature rise control system for preventing oil dilution in a hybrid engine, comprising: The data acquisition module is used to acquire ambient temperature and engine initial coolant temperature. When the ambient temperature is lower than the ambient temperature threshold and the engine initial coolant temperature is lower than the initial coolant temperature threshold, the short-mileage operating condition counting and temperature rise control function is activated. The counting module is used to perform counting operations on the short-mileage operating condition counter based on the relationship between the engine coolant temperature and the first coolant temperature threshold, and the relationship between the time when the engine coolant temperature continuously reaches the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration threshold. A primary temperature control module is used to trigger primary temperature rise control after engine start when the short-mileage operating condition counter exceeds the first counting threshold. The secondary temperature control module is used to force the engine to start when the vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle speed threshold when the short-mileage operating condition counter exceeds the second counting threshold, thereby triggering secondary temperature rise control; wherein the second counting threshold is greater than the first counting threshold.

[0012] Thirdly, the present invention discloses a vehicle including a memory and a processor, as well as computer instructions stored in the memory and running on the processor, wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the processor, complete the steps of the above-mentioned method for controlling the temperature rise of a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution.

[0013] Fourthly, the present invention discloses a computer-readable storage medium for storing computer instructions, which, when executed by a processor, complete the steps of the above-mentioned method for controlling the temperature rise of a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution.

[0014] Fifthly, the present invention discloses a computer program product comprising executable instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium; wherein, when the vehicle's processor reads and executes the executable instructions from the computer-readable storage medium, it completes the steps of the above-mentioned method for controlling the temperature rise of a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: This invention uses both ambient temperature and initial engine coolant temperature to determine the water removal function, activating it only in high-risk, low-temperature scenarios to avoid wasted energy. Simultaneously, by counting short-mileage operating conditions, it accurately identifies usage scenarios prone to oil emulsification, triggering continuous engine operation or forced start to ensure the engine reaches sufficient operating temperature and runs continuously, allowing the water mixed in the oil to evaporate fully. This eliminates oil emulsification and dilution problems at the source, ensuring the lubrication, sealing, and cooling performance of the oil.

[0016] This invention sets up a two-level temperature rise control strategy, which triggers different levels of control based on the cumulative count of short-mileage operating conditions. This avoids the increased energy consumption caused by frequent forced starts, and strengthens protection when potential hazards accumulate to a certain extent, thus achieving a balance between engine protection and vehicle fuel economy.

[0017] Advantages of additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0019] Figure 1 This is an overall flowchart of the temperature rise control method for preventing oil dilution in a hybrid engine as described in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a logic flowchart of the temperature rise control method for preventing oil dilution in a hybrid engine as described in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the temperature rise control system for preventing oil dilution in a hybrid engine as described in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are exemplary and intended to provide further illustration of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0023] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular implementations only and is not intended to limit the exemplary implementations of the present invention.

[0024] Where there is no conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other.

[0025] Example 1 In one or more embodiments, a method for controlling temperature rise in a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution is disclosed, such as... Figures 1-2 As shown, it includes the following steps: Step S1: Obtain the ambient temperature and the initial engine coolant temperature. When the ambient temperature is lower than the ambient temperature threshold and the initial engine coolant temperature is lower than the initial coolant temperature threshold, start the short-mileage operating condition counting and temperature rise control function.

[0026] The ambient temperature threshold and the initial water temperature threshold can be calibrated according to the requirements of competitors. The preferred calibration range for the ambient temperature threshold is -5℃ to 0℃, and the calibrable range for the initial water temperature threshold is 35℃ to 45℃.

[0027] In this embodiment, the ambient temperature threshold is set to 0°C; the initial water temperature threshold is set to 40°C.

[0028] When the ambient temperature and the initial engine coolant temperature meet the above conditions, the oil dehydration and temperature rise control function will officially take effect and execute the following steps; if the above conditions are not met, the engine start control will follow the normal logic of the vehicle and will not trigger the following special temperature rise strategy steps.

[0029] Step S2: Based on the relationship between engine coolant temperature and the first coolant temperature threshold, and the relationship between the time it takes for engine coolant temperature to continuously reach the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration threshold, perform a counting operation on the short-mileage operating condition counter.

[0030] Specifically, the rules for the short-mileage operating condition counter to perform counting operations are as follows: The engine control unit (ECU) monitors the engine coolant temperature in real time and counts the short-mileage operating conditions for each driving cycle. Each driving cycle counts at most once, and the specific counting rules are divided into the following three cases: (1) If the engine coolant temperature is below the first coolant temperature threshold throughout the entire driving cycle, the short mileage condition counter is incremented by one.

[0031] If the engine coolant temperature is below 70℃ throughout the entire driving cycle after the engine starts, the short-mileage condition counter increments by 1. This indicates that the engine has not reached its effective operating temperature during the driving cycle, and there is a risk of continuous accumulation of water in the engine oil, which is a typical high-risk condition for short-mileage driving.

[0032] (2) If the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold during this driving cycle, but the duration of the engine coolant temperature above the first coolant temperature threshold is less than the duration threshold, then the short-mileage condition counter remains unchanged.

[0033] If the engine coolant temperature is ≥70℃ after the engine starts during this driving cycle, but the duration of the coolant temperature ≥70℃ is <900s, the short-mileage condition counter will remain unchanged. This situation indicates that although the engine briefly reaches the target temperature during this driving cycle, the duration is insufficient for the water in the engine oil to evaporate completely, and the oil dehydration effect is incomplete. It will not be counted as a new high-risk number, nor will it be considered as an effective temperature rise.

[0034] (3) If the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold during this driving cycle and the duration is not lower than the duration threshold, the short mileage condition counter is reset to zero.

[0035] If, after starting the engine during this driving cycle, the engine coolant temperature is ≥70℃ and the duration of the coolant temperature ≥70℃ is ≥900s, then the short-mileage condition counter will be reset to zero, indicating that the effective temperature rise of this driving cycle has been achieved and the water in the engine oil has been fully evaporated.

[0036] In this embodiment, the driving cycle refers to the complete process from the engine starting with one ignition to the engine shutting down.

[0037] In some implementations, the first water temperature threshold is 70°C, and the duration threshold is 900 seconds. When the engine water temperature exceeds 70°C and continues to operate for more than 900 seconds, the engine oil temperature has entered the effective operating range that allows sufficient evaporation of water. It can be considered that the current driving cycle has achieved an effective temperature rise, and the water mixed in the engine oil has been fully evaporated and discharged. Both of the above parameters are calibrable values ​​and can be adjusted according to the engine thermal characteristics of different vehicle models and the actual usage requirements in low-temperature regions.

[0038] This embodiment accurately identifies the cumulative degree of high-risk scenarios with low temperature and short mileage by classifying and counting the temperature rise results of each driving cycle, providing a quantitative basis for subsequent graded triggering temperature rise control strategies, and solving the problem in the prior art that it is impossible to accurately identify and cumulatively count low temperature and short mileage operating conditions.

[0039] Step S3: When the short-mileage operating condition counter exceeds the first counting threshold, a first-level temperature rise control is triggered after the engine starts.

[0040] In this embodiment, the first counting threshold is set to 15.

[0041] When the short-mileage condition counter exceeds 15 times, the engine starts in the next driving cycle, triggering Level 1 temperature rise control: the engine control unit sends a continuous operation command to the engine actuator, controlling the engine to run continuously throughout the entire driving cycle, preventing automatic shutdown due to no vehicle driving demand. If the vehicle has no power generation demand at this time, the engine maintains idle speed until the engine coolant temperature exceeds the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration of this coolant temperature state reaches the duration threshold. At this point, the engine is allowed to shut down normally, and the short-mileage condition counter is reset to zero, ending this Level 1 temperature rise control. If the driving cycle ends due to the user's active parking before the engine reaches the aforementioned first coolant temperature threshold and duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter is incremented by 1. If the engine runs but does not reach the requirement of the coolant temperature exceeding the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration exceeding the duration threshold, the counter remains unchanged.

[0042] The idle speed can be determined and will be adapted to the vehicle model. In this embodiment, 1400~1500 rpm is preferred. This speed range ensures that the engine can continuously generate enough heat to achieve rapid temperature rise, while avoiding the extra fuel consumption caused by high speed operation, thus achieving a balance between engine protection and fuel economy.

[0043] Step S4: When the short-mileage condition counter exceeds the second counting threshold, the engine is forcibly started when the vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle speed threshold, triggering the secondary temperature rise control; wherein the second counting threshold is greater than the first counting threshold.

[0044] In this embodiment, the second counting threshold is set to 20 times, and this value can be calibrated; the vehicle speed threshold is set to 5 km / h, and this value can be calibrated.

[0045] When the short-mileage condition counter exceeds 20 times, in the next driving cycle, as long as the vehicle speed exceeds 5km / h, the engine will be forcibly started immediately. If the vehicle has no need for power generation at this time, the engine will maintain an idle speed until the engine coolant temperature exceeds the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration of this coolant temperature state reaches the duration threshold. At this time, the engine is allowed to shut off normally, and the short-mileage condition counter will be reset to zero. If the driving cycle ends due to the user stopping before the engine reaches the above-mentioned first coolant temperature threshold and duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter will be incremented by 1. If the engine does not reach the requirement of the coolant temperature exceeding the first coolant temperature threshold after running, the counter will remain unchanged.

[0046] Furthermore, when the engine continues to run or is forcibly started due to the first-level temperature rise control in step S3 or the second-level temperature rise control in step S4, the ECU triggers a text prompt on the vehicle's instrument panel via a signal. The prompt is fixed as: "Range extender is running, entering the engine oil warm-up lubrication mode," which informs the user that the current engine operating status is engine oil dehydration and warm-up protection mode, thus preventing user misoperation.

[0047] This embodiment uses instrument panel text prompts to inform users of the engine's current temperature rise protection status, preventing users from affecting the oil dehydration effect due to misoperation (such as forced engine shutdown), while also enhancing users' awareness of engine protection and improving the overall vehicle user experience.

[0048] It should be understood that all key thresholds in this invention, including ambient temperature, initial engine coolant temperature, coolant temperature judgment threshold, duration, operating condition counting threshold, and engine idle speed, can be calibrated according to the usage requirements of different competing models and different low-temperature regions, with a wide range of applicability and strong practicality.

[0049] The control strategy in this embodiment is based on existing ECU modules, sensors, and actuators. It does not require the addition of a large number of new hardware devices, but only the optimization of the ECU control program. It has low development costs, strong compatibility, and is easy to promote and apply in batches on existing hybrid vehicles.

[0050] In one implementation, an ambient temperature sensor collects ambient temperature signals and sends them to the ECU; an engine coolant temperature sensor collects engine coolant temperature signals and sends them to the ECU; the ECU receives these signals, performs short-mileage condition counting, determines the temperature rise control level, and sends start and speed control commands to the engine actuators, while simultaneously sending alert signals to the vehicle instrument cluster; the engine actuators respond to the ECU's commands, controlling engine start, continuous operation, and speed adjustment; the vehicle instrument cluster receives signals from the ECU and displays corresponding text-based alert information.

[0051] As an example, the process of triggering the first-level temperature rise control includes the following steps: (1) Initial state: When the user starts the vehicle, the initial engine water temperature is 35℃, which meets the effective conditions of the oil water removal function of this solution. The ECU starts short-mileage operating condition counting and temperature rise monitoring.

[0052] (2) Short-mileage driving condition accumulation: The user's 16 consecutive driving cycles are all short-distance driving, of which: In the first 15 driving cycles, the water temperature did not reach 70℃ after each engine start (due to short driving mileage and low ambient temperature). According to the first case of the counting rule, the short mileage condition counter is incremented by 1 each time, accumulating to 15 times. During the 16th driving cycle, after the engine is started, the water temperature still has not reached 70°C. The counter increments from 1 to 16 (>15 times), triggering the first-level temperature rise control.

[0053] (3) First-level temperature rise control execution: In the 17th driving cycle (next driving cycle), after the user starts the engine, the ECU detects that the short-mileage condition counter is 16 times and immediately triggers the first-level temperature rise control to control the engine to continue running. Since the vehicle battery SOC is sufficient in this driving cycle and there is no need for power generation, the ECU controls the engine to maintain an idle speed of 1450 prm.

[0054] (4) Control ends: The engine continues to idle, and the ECU monitors the water temperature in real time. When the water temperature rises to 72°C and continues to run for 900 seconds, the ECU determines that the water in the engine oil has been fully evaporated and allows the engine to shut down normally. At the same time, the short-mileage condition counter is reset to zero, and this temperature rise control ends.

[0055] (5) User prompt: During the continuous idling of the engine, the ECU triggers the vehicle instrument panel to display the prompt message: "Engine running, entering the oil warming lubrication mode" until the engine meets the shutdown conditions, and the prompt message will disappear automatically.

[0056] Furthermore, the secondary temperature rise control is triggered, including the following process: (1) Accumulation of operating conditions: In the 17th driving cycle, if the user stops the engine after the engine water temperature reaches 70℃ for only 600s (<900s), according to the counting rule (2), the short-mileage operating condition counter remains unchanged at 16 times; the user continues to drive short distances 4 times in the following cycle, and the engine water temperature does not reach 70℃ in each driving cycle. The counter is incremented by 1 each time, accumulating to 20 times. After the engine is started in the 22nd driving cycle, the water temperature does not reach 70℃, and the counter is incremented by 1 to 21 times (>20 times), triggering the secondary temperature rise control.

[0057] (2) Secondary temperature rise control execution: During the 23rd driving cycle, after the user starts the vehicle, the vehicle speed increases to 6km / h (>5km / h). The ECU detects that the short mileage condition counter is 21 times and immediately forces the engine to start. Since the vehicle has no power generation needs, the engine maintains an idle speed of 1450 rpm.

[0058] (3) Control ends: The engine continues to idle. When the water temperature rises to 73°C and continues to run for 900 seconds, the ECU allows the engine to shut down normally, the short-mileage condition counter is cleared, and the temperature rise control ends. If the user stops the engine after running for 800 seconds after the water temperature reaches 70°C, according to the rules, the counter remains unchanged, and the second-level temperature rise control is triggered again in the next driving cycle until the water temperature and duration requirements are met.

[0059] (4) User prompt: During forced engine start and continuous operation, the instrument will continuously display "Engine running, entering oil warming lubrication mode" to prompt the user of the current status.

[0060] The above technical solutions provide comprehensive protection for the engine, extend its service life, and effectively reduce wear on internal engine components by preventing oil emulsification and dilution. This prevents fatal malfunctions such as cylinder scoring and bearing failure, significantly improves engine reliability and lifespan, and reduces engine maintenance costs for users.

[0061] In low-temperature environments, the engine's initial coolant temperature is low. During short-distance driving, the engine cannot reach a sufficient temperature rise (not reaching the operating temperature above 70°C, or not staying at that temperature for an extended period). Water mixed in the engine oil cannot evaporate effectively, and long-term accumulation leads to oil emulsification and dilution, damaging the oil's lubrication, sealing, and cooling performance.

[0062] Current technology fails to identify and count low-temperature, short-mileage operating conditions, making it impossible to determine whether a user's usage scenario falls under the high-risk category of "easily triggering oil emulsification." This results in engine start-up control continuing to follow conventional logic, failing to trigger targeted temperature rise control even after repeated exposure to low-temperature, short-mileage conditions, leading to the continuous accumulation of potential hazards. Consequently, prolonged exposure to oil emulsification and dilution can accelerate wear on internal engine components (crankshaft, camshaft, bearings, etc.), reducing engine lifespan and potentially causing fatal malfunctions such as cylinder scoring and bearing failure. Current technology lacks preventative measures for these hazards, failing to provide comprehensive engine protection.

[0063] Therefore, this invention proposes to achieve accurate scenario judgment through operating condition counting, accurately identifying high-risk usage scenarios such as low temperature and short mileage that are prone to causing oil emulsification; based on the judgment results of high-risk scenarios, a targeted engine temperature rise control strategy is triggered to ensure that the engine can reach a sufficient operating temperature and run continuously, thereby achieving effective water removal from the engine oil; finally, through a user prompt function, users are informed of the engine temperature rise control status in a timely manner, thus assisting in engine protection.

[0064] Example 2 In one or more embodiments, a temperature rise control system for preventing oil dilution in a hybrid engine is disclosed, such as... Figure 3 As shown, it specifically includes: The data acquisition module 301 is used to acquire the ambient temperature and the initial engine coolant temperature. When the ambient temperature is lower than the ambient temperature threshold and the initial engine coolant temperature is lower than the initial coolant temperature threshold, the short-mileage operating condition counting and temperature rise control function is activated.

[0065] The ambient temperature threshold and the initial water temperature threshold can be calibrated according to the requirements of competitors. The preferred calibration range for the ambient temperature threshold is -5℃ to 0℃, and the calibrable range for the initial water temperature threshold is 35℃ to 45℃.

[0066] In this embodiment, the ambient temperature threshold is set to 0°C; the initial water temperature threshold is set to 40°C.

[0067] When the ambient temperature and the initial engine coolant temperature meet the above conditions, the oil dehydration and temperature rise control function will officially take effect and execute the following steps; if the above conditions are not met, the engine start control will follow the normal logic of the vehicle and will not trigger the following special temperature rise strategy steps.

[0068] The counting module 302 is used to perform a counting operation on the short-mileage operating condition counter based on the relationship between the engine water temperature and the first water temperature threshold and the relationship between the time when the engine water temperature continuously reaches the first water temperature threshold and the duration threshold.

[0069] Specifically, the rules for the short-mileage operating condition counter to perform counting operations are as follows: The engine control unit (ECU) monitors the engine coolant temperature in real time and counts the short-mileage operating conditions for each driving cycle. Each driving cycle counts at most once, and the specific counting rules are divided into the following three cases: (1) If the engine coolant temperature is below the first coolant temperature threshold throughout the entire driving cycle, the short mileage condition counter is incremented by one.

[0070] If the engine coolant temperature is below 70℃ throughout the entire driving cycle after the engine starts, the short-mileage condition counter increments by 1. This indicates that the engine has not reached its effective operating temperature during the driving cycle, and there is a risk of continuous accumulation of water in the engine oil, which is a typical high-risk condition for short-mileage driving.

[0071] (2) If the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold during this driving cycle, but the duration of the engine coolant temperature above the first coolant temperature threshold is less than the duration threshold, then the short-mileage condition counter remains unchanged.

[0072] If the engine coolant temperature is ≥70℃ after the engine starts during this driving cycle, but the duration of the coolant temperature ≥70℃ is <900s, the short-mileage condition counter will remain unchanged. This situation indicates that although the engine briefly reaches the target temperature during this driving cycle, the duration is insufficient for the water in the engine oil to evaporate completely, and the oil dehydration effect is incomplete. It will not be counted as a new high-risk number, nor will it be considered as an effective temperature rise.

[0073] (3) If the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold during this driving cycle and the duration is not lower than the duration threshold, the short mileage condition counter is reset to zero.

[0074] If, after starting the engine during this driving cycle, the engine coolant temperature is ≥70℃ and the duration of the coolant temperature ≥70℃ is ≥900s, then the short-mileage condition counter will be reset to zero, indicating that the effective temperature rise of this driving cycle has been achieved and the water in the engine oil has been fully evaporated.

[0075] In some implementations, the first water temperature threshold is 70°C, and the duration threshold is 900 seconds. When the engine water temperature exceeds 70°C and continues to operate for more than 900 seconds, the engine oil temperature has entered the effective operating range that allows sufficient evaporation of water. It can be considered that the current driving cycle has achieved an effective temperature rise, and the water mixed in the engine oil has been fully evaporated and discharged. Both of the above parameters are calibrable values ​​and can be adjusted according to the engine thermal characteristics of different vehicle models and the actual usage requirements in low-temperature regions.

[0076] This embodiment accurately identifies the cumulative degree of high-risk scenarios with low temperature and short mileage by classifying and counting the temperature rise results of each driving cycle, providing a quantitative basis for subsequent graded triggering temperature rise control strategies, and solving the problem in the prior art that it is impossible to accurately identify and cumulatively count low temperature and short mileage operating conditions.

[0077] The primary temperature control module 303 is used to trigger primary temperature rise control after the engine starts when the short-mileage operating condition counter exceeds the first counting threshold.

[0078] In this embodiment, the first counting threshold is set to 15.

[0079] When the short-mileage condition counter exceeds 15 times, the engine starts in the next driving cycle, triggering Level 1 temperature rise control: the engine control unit sends a continuous operation command to the engine actuator, controlling the engine to run continuously throughout the entire driving cycle, preventing automatic shutdown due to no vehicle driving demand. If the vehicle has no power generation demand at this time, the engine maintains idle speed until the engine coolant temperature exceeds the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration of this coolant temperature state reaches the duration threshold. At this point, the engine is allowed to shut down normally, and the short-mileage condition counter is reset to zero, ending this Level 1 temperature rise control. If the driving cycle ends due to the user stopping before the engine reaches the aforementioned first coolant temperature threshold and duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter is incremented by 1. If the engine runs but does not reach the requirement of the coolant temperature exceeding the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration exceeding the duration threshold, the counter remains unchanged.

[0080] The idle speed can be determined and will be adapted to the vehicle model. In this embodiment, 1400~1500 rpm is preferred. This speed range ensures that the engine can continuously generate enough heat to achieve rapid temperature rise, while avoiding the extra fuel consumption caused by high speed operation, thus achieving a balance between engine protection and fuel economy.

[0081] The secondary temperature control module 304 is used to force the engine to start when the vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle speed threshold when the short-mileage operating condition counter exceeds the second counting threshold, thereby triggering secondary temperature rise control; wherein the second counting threshold is greater than the first counting threshold.

[0082] In this embodiment, the second counting threshold is set to 20 times, and this value can be calibrated; the vehicle speed threshold is set to 5 km / h, and this value can be calibrated.

[0083] When the short-mileage condition counter exceeds 20 times, in the next driving cycle, as long as the vehicle speed exceeds 5km / h, the engine will be forcibly started immediately. If the vehicle has no need for power generation at this time, the engine will maintain an idle speed until the engine coolant temperature exceeds the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration of this coolant temperature state reaches the duration threshold. At this time, the engine is allowed to shut off normally, and the short-mileage condition counter will be reset to zero. If the driving cycle ends due to the user stopping before the engine reaches the above-mentioned first coolant temperature threshold and duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter will be incremented by 1. If the engine does not reach the requirement of the coolant temperature exceeding the first coolant temperature threshold after running, the counter will remain unchanged.

[0084] Furthermore, when the engine continues to run or is forcibly started due to the primary temperature rise control of the primary temperature control module or the secondary temperature rise control of the secondary temperature control module, the ECU triggers a text prompt on the vehicle's instrument panel via a signal. The prompt is fixed as: "Range extender is running, entering the engine oil warm-up lubrication mode," which informs the user that the current engine operating status is engine oil dehydration and warm-up protection mode, thus preventing user misoperation.

[0085] This embodiment uses instrument panel text prompts to inform users of the engine's current temperature rise protection status, preventing users from affecting the oil dehydration effect due to misoperation (such as forced engine shutdown), while also enhancing users' awareness of engine protection and improving the overall vehicle user experience.

[0086] It should be understood that all key thresholds in this invention, including ambient temperature, initial engine coolant temperature, coolant temperature judgment threshold, duration, operating condition counting threshold, and engine idle speed, can be calibrated according to the usage requirements of different competing models and different low-temperature regions, with a wide range of applicability and strong practicality.

[0087] The control strategy in this embodiment is based on existing ECU modules, sensors, and actuators. It does not require the addition of a large number of new hardware devices, but only the optimization of the ECU control program. It has low development costs, strong compatibility, and is easy to promote and apply in batches on existing hybrid vehicles.

[0088] In one implementation, the data acquisition module includes an ambient temperature sensor that collects ambient temperature signals and sends them to the ECU; an engine coolant temperature sensor that collects engine coolant temperature signals and sends them to the ECU; the ECU includes a counting module, a primary temperature control module, and a secondary temperature control module. The ECU receives the above signals, performs short-mileage condition counting, determines the temperature rise control level, and sends start and speed control commands to the engine actuators, while simultaneously sending prompt signals to the vehicle instrument panel; the engine actuators respond to the ECU's commands, controlling engine start, continuous operation, and speed adjustment; the vehicle instrument panel receives signals from the ECU and displays corresponding text prompts.

[0089] As an example, the process of triggering the first-level temperature rise control includes the following steps: (1) Initial state: When the user starts the vehicle, the initial engine water temperature is 35℃, which meets the effective conditions of the oil water removal function of this solution. The ECU starts short-mileage operating condition counting and temperature rise monitoring.

[0090] (2) Short-mileage driving condition accumulation: The user's 16 consecutive driving cycles are all short-distance driving, of which: In the first 15 driving cycles, the water temperature did not reach 70℃ after each engine start (due to short driving mileage and low ambient temperature). According to the first case of the counting rule, the short mileage condition counter is incremented by 1 each time, accumulating to 15 times. During the 16th driving cycle, after the engine is started, the water temperature still has not reached 70°C. The counter increments from 1 to 16 (>15 times), triggering the first-level temperature rise control.

[0091] (3) First-level temperature rise control execution: In the 17th driving cycle (next driving cycle), after the user starts the engine, the ECU detects that the short-mileage condition counter is 16 times and immediately triggers the first-level temperature rise control to control the engine to continue running. Since the vehicle battery SOC is sufficient in this driving cycle and there is no need for power generation, the ECU controls the engine to maintain an idle speed of 1450 prm.

[0092] (4) Control ends: The engine continues to idle, and the ECU monitors the water temperature in real time. When the water temperature rises to 72°C and continues to run for 900 seconds, the ECU determines that the water in the engine oil has been fully evaporated and allows the engine to shut down normally. At the same time, the short-mileage condition counter is reset to zero, and this temperature rise control ends.

[0093] (5) User prompt: During the continuous idling of the engine, the ECU triggers the vehicle instrument panel to display the prompt message: "Engine running, entering the oil warming lubrication mode" until the engine meets the shutdown conditions, and the prompt message will disappear automatically.

[0094] Furthermore, the secondary temperature rise control is triggered, including the following process: (1) Accumulation of operating conditions: In the 17th driving cycle, if the user stops the engine after the engine water temperature reaches 70℃ for only 600s (<900s), according to the counting rule (2), the short-mileage operating condition counter remains unchanged at 16 times; the user continues to drive short distances 4 times in the following cycle, and the engine water temperature does not reach 70℃ in each driving cycle. The counter is incremented by 1 each time, accumulating to 20 times. After the engine is started in the 22nd driving cycle, the water temperature does not reach 70℃, and the counter is incremented by 1 to 21 times (>20 times), triggering the secondary temperature rise control.

[0095] (2) Secondary temperature rise control execution: During the 23rd driving cycle, after the user starts the vehicle, the vehicle speed increases to 6km / h (>5km / h). The ECU detects that the short mileage condition counter is 21 times and immediately forces the engine to start. Since the vehicle has no power generation needs, the engine maintains an idle speed of 1450 rpm.

[0096] (3) Control ends: The engine continues to idle. When the water temperature rises to 73°C and continues to run for 900 seconds, the ECU allows the engine to shut down normally, the short-mileage condition counter is cleared, and the temperature rise control ends. If the user stops the engine after running for 800 seconds after the water temperature reaches 70°C, according to the rules, the counter remains unchanged, and the second-level temperature rise control is triggered again in the next driving cycle until the water temperature and duration requirements are met.

[0097] (4) User prompt: During forced engine start and continuous operation, the instrument will continuously display "Engine running, entering oil warming lubrication mode" to prompt the user of the current status.

[0098] The above technical solutions provide comprehensive protection for the engine, extend its service life, and effectively reduce wear on internal engine components by preventing oil emulsification and dilution. This prevents fatal malfunctions such as cylinder scoring and bearing failure, significantly improves engine reliability and lifespan, and reduces engine maintenance costs for users.

[0099] Example 3 This embodiment provides a vehicle, including a memory and a processor, as well as computer instructions stored in the memory and running on the processor. When the computer instructions are executed by the processor, they complete the steps of the above-described method for controlling the temperature rise of a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution.

[0100] In this embodiment, the vehicle also includes an engine control unit (ECU), an ambient temperature sensor, an engine coolant temperature sensor, vehicle instruments, and engine actuators.

[0101] An ambient temperature sensor is used to collect ambient temperature signals and send them to the ECU; an engine coolant temperature sensor is used to collect engine coolant temperature signals and send them to the ECU; the ECU receives the above signals, performs short-mileage condition counting, determines the temperature rise control level, and sends start and speed control commands to the engine actuators, while also sending alert signals to the vehicle instrument panel; the engine actuators respond to the ECU's commands, controlling engine start, continuous operation, and speed adjustment; the vehicle instrument panel receives signals from the ECU and displays corresponding text-based alert information.

[0102] Example 4 This embodiment provides a computer-readable storage medium for storing computer instructions, which, when executed by a processor, complete the steps of the above-described method for controlling the temperature rise of a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution.

[0103] Example 5 This embodiment provides a computer program product including executable instructions, which are computer instructions; the executable instructions are stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the vehicle's processor reads the executable instructions from the computer-readable storage medium and executes the executable instructions, the steps of the above-described method for controlling the temperature rise of a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution are completed.

[0104] This invention is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0105] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0106] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, whereby a series of operational steps are performed to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0107] The steps and methods involved in Embodiments 2 to 5 above correspond to those in Embodiment 1. For detailed implementation methods, please refer to the relevant description section of Embodiment 1. The descriptions of each embodiment in the above embodiments have different emphases. Parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment can be referred to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0108] Those skilled in the art will understand that the modules or steps of the present invention described above can be implemented using general-purpose computer devices. Optionally, they can be implemented using computer-executable program code, thereby allowing them to be stored in a storage device for execution by a computer device, or they can be fabricated as separate integrated circuit modules, or multiple modules or steps can be fabricated as a single integrated circuit module. The present invention is not limited to any particular combination of hardware and software.

[0109] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling temperature rise in a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution, characterized in that, include: The system acquires the ambient temperature and the initial engine coolant temperature. When the ambient temperature is lower than the ambient temperature threshold and the initial engine coolant temperature is lower than the initial coolant temperature threshold, the system activates the short-mileage operating condition counting and temperature rise control function. Based on the relationship between engine coolant temperature and the first coolant temperature threshold, and the relationship between the time it takes for engine coolant temperature to continuously reach the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration threshold, a counting operation is performed on the short-mileage operating condition counter. When the short-mileage operating condition counter exceeds the first counting threshold, a first-level temperature rise control is triggered after the engine starts. When the short-mileage condition counter exceeds the second counting threshold, the engine is forcibly started when the vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle speed threshold, triggering the secondary temperature rise control; wherein the second counting threshold is greater than the first counting threshold.

2. The method for controlling temperature rise in a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The counting operation is as follows: if the engine coolant temperature does not reach the first coolant temperature threshold in the current driving cycle, the short-mileage condition counter is incremented by one; if the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold in the current driving cycle, but the duration is lower than the duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter remains unchanged; if the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold in the current driving cycle, and the duration is not lower than the duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter is cleared to zero.

3. The method for controlling temperature rise in a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first-level temperature rise control controls the engine to run continuously until the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration is not lower than the duration threshold. Then, the engine is allowed to shut down and the short-mileage condition counter is reset to zero. If the driving cycle ends before the engine reaches the first water temperature threshold and the duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter is incremented by 1; if the engine runs but does not reach the requirement of water temperature exceeding the first water temperature threshold and duration exceeding the duration threshold, the counter remains unchanged.

4. The method for controlling temperature rise in a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The secondary temperature rise control controls the engine to run continuously until the engine coolant temperature reaches the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration is not less than the duration threshold, then allows the engine to shut down and resets the short-mileage condition counter to zero.

5. The method for controlling temperature rise in a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The secondary temperature rise control also includes: if the driving cycle ends before the engine reaches the first water temperature threshold and the duration threshold, the short-mileage condition counter is incremented by 1; if the engine does not reach the requirement of water temperature exceeding the first water temperature threshold after running, the counter remains unchanged.

6. The method for controlling temperature rise in a hybrid engine to prevent oil dilution as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes user prompts: when the first-level temperature rise control or the second-level temperature rise control is triggered, the engine control module sends a prompt signal to the vehicle instrument panel, and the vehicle instrument panel displays the prompt information.

7. A temperature rise control system for preventing oil dilution in a hybrid engine, characterized in that, include: The data acquisition module is used to acquire ambient temperature and engine initial coolant temperature. When the ambient temperature is lower than the ambient temperature threshold and the engine initial coolant temperature is lower than the initial coolant temperature threshold, the short-mileage operating condition counting and temperature rise control function is activated. The counting module is used to perform counting operations on the short-mileage operating condition counter based on the relationship between the engine coolant temperature and the first coolant temperature threshold, and the relationship between the time when the engine coolant temperature continuously reaches the first coolant temperature threshold and the duration threshold. A primary temperature control module is used to trigger primary temperature rise control after engine start when the short-mileage operating condition counter exceeds the first counting threshold. The secondary temperature control module is used to force the engine to start when the vehicle speed exceeds the vehicle speed threshold when the short-mileage operating condition counter exceeds the second counting threshold, thereby triggering secondary temperature rise control; wherein the second counting threshold is greater than the first counting threshold.

8. A vehicle, characterized in that, It includes a memory and a processor, as well as computer instructions stored in the memory and running on the processor, which, when executed by the processor, perform the temperature rise control method for preventing oil dilution in a hybrid engine as described in any one of claims 1-6.

9. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, Used to store computer instructions, which, when executed by a processor, complete the temperature rise control method for preventing oil dilution in a hybrid engine as described in any one of claims 1-6.

10. A computer program product comprising executable instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium; wherein, When the vehicle's processor reads executable instructions from a computer-readable storage medium and executes the executable instructions, it performs the temperature rise control method for preventing oil dilution in a hybrid engine as described in any one of claims 1-6.

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