Method for operating a cooling package for a motor vehicle, control device for carrying out a method, and motor vehicle with cooling package and control device

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a radiator package (1) for a motor vehicle, wherein the radiator package (1) has a main inlet opening (5), an inlet tract (4), a heat exchanger (2) for a refrigerant circuit of the motor vehicle, a bidirectionally operable main fan (3) and an outlet tract (6) along a first flow direction (9) of a first operating mode and is operated in the first or a second operating mode depending on a flow condition, wherein its flow direction, a second flow direction (10), is oriented opposite to the first flow direction (9) and wherein a first flow condition describes a temperature difference between an inlet tract temperature of air that can be drawn into the inlet tract (4) and an outlet tract temperature of air that can be drawn into the outlet tract (6), each sensed by a respective temperature sensor (11, 12).Furthermore, the invention relates to a control device for carrying out the method as well as a motor vehicle with a radiator package and such a control device.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a cooling system for a motor vehicle, wherein the cooling system has, along a first flow direction of a first operating mode, a main inlet opening, an inlet tract, a heat exchanger for a refrigerant circuit of the motor vehicle, a bidirectionally operable main fan, and an outlet tract, and is operated in the first or a second operating mode depending on a flow condition, wherein the flow direction of the second operating mode is opposite to the first flow direction. The invention further relates to a control device for carrying out such a method and to a motor vehicle with such a control device and a cooling system.

[0002] From US 2021 / 0 054 776 A1, a system for controlling a fan in a vehicle with a heat exchanger is shown, wherein the fan can be operated in two opposite directions of rotation depending on geographical regions and a geographical location of the vehicle.

[0003] US 2003 / 0183433A1 relates to an axial cooling fan for a road vehicle, with which cooling air can be conveyed in two opposite directions.

[0004] US Patent 2016 / 0102597A1 discloses a method for cooling a coolant of an internal combustion engine of an agricultural vehicle, whereby a warm-up phase of the vehicle's internal combustion engine is shortened by reversing the direction of an airflow.

[0005] US Patent 11,441,476 B2 describes a vehicle with an air guide section, a motor, and a rotating blower located behind the vehicle's seats, wherein wind pressure is to be sensed on a side surface of the vehicle by means of a pressure sensor, and depending on the sensed pressure value, a direction of rotation or flow direction through the blower is to be set.

[0006] The invention is based on the objective of providing a method for operating a cooling package for a motor vehicle as efficiently as possible, a control unit for carrying out the method and a motor vehicle with the control unit and the cooling package.

[0007] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described by the dependent patent claims, the following description, and the figures.

[0008] A first aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a radiator package for a motor vehicle, wherein the radiator package has a main inlet opening, an inlet tract, a heat exchanger for a refrigerant circuit of the motor vehicle, a main fan and an outlet tract along a first flow direction of a first operating mode and is operated in the first or a second operating mode depending on a flow condition, wherein the flow direction of the second flow direction is opposite to the first flow direction and wherein a first flow condition describes a temperature difference between an inlet tract temperature of air that can be drawn into the inlet tract and an outlet tract temperature of air that can be drawn into the outlet tract, each sensed by a respective temperature sensor.In other words, the main fan should be configured to convey air through the cooling system in a first flow direction during the first operating mode, for example, from the inlet to the outlet, and in a second operating mode, to convey air in a second flow direction opposite to the first, for example, from the outlet to the inlet. The main fan can be designed as a bidirectional axial fan known from the prior art. The operating mode, or flow direction, should be set depending on a flow condition, where a first flow condition describes a temperature difference between an inlet temperature and an outlet temperature, each measured or sensed by respective temperature sensors.The terms "inlet tract temperature" and "outlet tract temperature" do not refer to a temperature within the inlet and / or outlet tract, but rather to the temperature of the air surrounding the inlet tract, specifically around the main inlet opening through which air is drawn into the inlet tract, and around the outlet tract. In other words, they refer to the temperature of the air as it is drawn into the radiator assembly via the outlet tract, and the temperature of the air that can be drawn into the inlet tract through the main inlet opening.The temperature sensors are thus arranged in the immediate vicinity of the main inlet opening of the intake tract and in the immediate vicinity of the outlet tract, for example, on the vehicle body, so that the temperature sensors can measure the air in the respective environment outside the radiator assembly and thus the intake air. The temperature sensor for measuring the intake tract temperature is referred to below as the first temperature sensor, and the temperature sensor for measuring the outlet tract temperature as the second temperature sensor. The refrigerant circuit with heat exchanger is configured at least to cool the interior of the vehicle and / or the traction battery of the vehicle.The refrigerant circuit can comprise refrigerant, at least one compressor for compressing the refrigerant (which can also be called a compressor), a gas cooler (which can also be called a condenser) for transferring heat from the refrigerant to the environment, at least one expansion valve for expanding or depressurizing the refrigerant, and at least one evaporator for evaporating the refrigerant by absorbing heat, for example, from the interior of the vehicle and / or from a traction battery of the vehicle. For the purposes of the invention, the heat exchanger (which can also be called a heat exchanger) is understood to be the gas cooler by means of which thermal energy is to be transferred from the refrigerant to the environment, in particular to the air flowing through the cooler assembly.

[0009] For cooling the interior or the traction battery, in particular, the first flow condition stipulates that air with the lower temperature should be drawn into the cooling system. For example, if the outlet temperature is lower than the inlet temperature, the second operating mode can be set according to the first flow condition, so that air from the outlet is drawn into the cooling system by the main fan along the second flow direction. Conversely, if the inlet temperature is lower than the outlet temperature, the first operating mode can be set according to the first flow condition, so that air from the inlet is drawn into the cooling system by the main fan along the first flow direction.

[0010] This offers the advantage that the cooling unit, and especially the main fan, can be operated particularly efficiently, i.e., energy-efficiently. As is well known, the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the surrounding air, or the air flowing through the cooling unit (also known as cooling air), depends on the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the cooling air, as well as on the respective mass flow rates of the refrigerant and the cooling air through the heat exchanger. If the temperature difference increases because, by specifying or adjusting the operating mode and thus the flow direction, colder cooling air can be used than in the other operating mode with the opposite flow direction, the mass flow rate dependent on the main fan's power can be reduced. This can lower the energy consumption, particularly of the main fan, especially while maintaining the same cooling capacity.

[0011] Preferably, the inlet section is arranged at the front of the vehicle in the direction of forward travel, particularly in the area of ​​a front bumper or front fender, whereby cooling air can be drawn into or flow into the inlet section via the main inlet opening (first operating mode with first flow direction) or flow out of the inlet section into the environment via the main inlet opening (second operating mode with second flow direction). The outlet section is preferably arranged in a rear area or tail section of the vehicle relative to the direction of forward travel, preferably on the underside of the vehicle facing the roadway.

[0012] If the interior and / or the traction battery are to be heated via the coolant circuit or the radiator assembly, the first flow condition may stipulate that the warmer air should be drawn in as cooling air, and a flow direction or operating mode should be set accordingly. Thus, if an inlet temperature is higher than an outlet temperature, the first flow condition may specify that, in the first operating mode, the main fan will draw air through the radiator assembly along the first flow direction, and vice versa.

[0013] The invention is based on the understanding that, particularly under certain wind conditions around the vehicle and when the cooling unit is intended to cool the vehicle (interior and / or traction battery), the air, which is normally drawn in via the inlet, heated by the heat exchanger, and expelled via the outlet, can become so turbulent that the expelled air is drawn back in via the inlet due to recirculation. This can reduce the cooling capacity even with the same main fan output of the cooling unit. To maintain at least a constant cooling capacity, the flow rate of cooling air, i.e., the heated expelled air, must therefore be increased, which in turn increases the energy consumption of the main fan.

[0014] The invention also includes embodiments or further developments that offer additional advantages.

[0015] A further development of the method involves using at least one dynamic pressure sensor to detect the wind speed and direction of the wind flowing around the vehicle relative to the vehicle's longitudinal axis, and a second flow condition describing the relative wind direction and speed. In other words, depending on the wind direction and speed, the system should determine whether the cooling system is subjected to airflow in the first operating mode or in the second operating mode, based on the second flow direction, according to the second flow condition.

[0016] With a favorable choice of operating mode or flow direction, this offers the advantage that kinetic energy from the wind can be used to drive the airflow through the radiator assembly, thus saving energy when operating the main fan. For the purposes of this invention, the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is understood to be the forward direction of travel, in particular a vector between the inlet tract or the main inlet opening into the inlet tract and the outlet tract, especially an outlet opening of the outlet tract. If, as is customary, the main inlet opening is located in the front of the vehicle and an outlet tract opening is located on or in the vehicle floor in the rear of the vehicle, the longitudinal direction of the vehicle can also refer to the forward direction of travel when the vehicle is traveling straight ahead.If the main inlet opening of the intake tract and an outlet opening of the exhaust tract are located on opposite sides of the vehicle in the transverse direction, the longitudinal direction of the vehicle can, in this particular case, be the transverse direction of the vehicle. Sensed wind speed and wind direction means that the wind speed is to be sensed or recorded as a vector, or converted into one; that is, a quantity or magnitude of the wind speed and a direction of the wind speed. Relative wind direction and relative wind speed, relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, means that the recorded wind speed vector is to be split into a vector parallel or collinear to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, which describes the relative quantities (speed and direction).For example, if a vehicle is traveling at 20 km / h in a straight line with a tailwind of 50 km / h, as measured by a stationary observer, the wind direction relative to the vehicle is from behind, i.e., a tailwind. The relative wind speed to the vehicle's longitudinal direction (the main inlet opening at the front of the vehicle and the outlet at the rear) is 30 km / h, which is the difference between the air speed resulting from the vehicle's forward movement and the speed of the tailwind. In this case, according to the second flow condition, the second operating mode, or rather the second flow direction, should be selected so that the 30 km / h tailwind (relative to the vehicle's longitudinal direction) can be used to direct the airflow through the radiator assembly from the outlet to the inlet.

[0017] To determine the vectorial wind speed, i.e., the wind speed and wind direction relative to the vehicle or relative to the vehicle's longitudinal direction, at least the value from a dynamic pressure sensor should be used. Additionally, the vehicle can include a pressure sensor for sensing static pressure and a density sensor for sensing the air density around the vehicle to determine the vectorial wind speed. Preferably, the at least one dynamic pressure sensor is arranged in a front area of ​​the vehicle, for example, next to or immediately adjacent to the main air intake.

[0018] Whether the first flow condition (temperature difference) or the second flow condition (vector wind speed) is used to set the operating mode or flow direction can be manually set or determined by a user of the vehicle, for example via a display and control element in the vehicle, which can receive a switching input, i.e. a user input.

[0019] A further development of the method involves switching the main fan to cross-flow mode depending on the relative wind speed and direction. This is achieved by aligning adjustable rotor elements of the main fan in a specific direction of airflow, allowing cooling air to flow through the main fan with minimal resistance. In this case, the main fan is switched off, meaning the rotor elements are not rotating to deliver cooling air. In other words, the main fan should be switched off when the vectorial wind speed, or a component thereof, relative to the vehicle's longitudinal direction is sufficiently high to allow airflow through the radiator assembly without the main fan operating. The main fan, its rotor blades, or its rotor elements should not impede this airflow through the radiator assembly.

[0020] This offers the advantage of saving energy by eliminating the need to operate the main fan, as the energy of the wind flowing around the vehicle is used to circulate air through the cooling system. Alternatively, the main fan can be operated with less energy than it would without utilizing the kinetic energy of the wind, allowing, for example, a constant mass flow of cooling air to be maintained.

[0021] Fans, particularly those designed as axial fans, have rotor elements with air guide surfaces that are angled relative to a plane perpendicular to the direction of airflow in which the air is to be conveyed by the fan. The main fan described here is to have rotor elements, or at least one rotor element, which can be rotatably mounted about a radial axis of the rotor element extending, for example, perpendicular to one of the two flow directions. This allows the at least one rotor element to be aligned in the direction of flow, i.e., with air guide surfaces arranged in the direction of flow or with air guide surfaces arranged perpendicular to the plane perpendicular to the direction of flow. For this purpose, the main fan can have at least one actuating element for aligning the at least one rotor element, such as an electric motor.This design of the main fan is merely an example of how it can be arranged, or designed for such an arrangement, in a flow through the cooling package with as little air resistance as possible (with minimized flow resistance).

[0022] A further development of the method involves weighting the first and second flow conditions using a weighting function, and prioritizing one of the flow conditions as a result of this weighting. In other words, the weighting function determines which flow condition—the first or the second—determines the operating mode or flow direction, particularly when the two flow conditions contradict each other. For example: As in the previous example, the vehicle is traveling straight ahead with a tailwind, which would result in the second flow direction being selected according to the second flow condition. However, at the same time, the inlet temperature is lower than the outlet temperature, which would result in the first flow direction being selected according to the first flow condition.The weighting function can, for example, determine what wind speed relative to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle must be given per degree of temperature difference, so that the flow direction is determined depending on the relative wind speed, i.e., depending on the second flow condition - contrary to the first flow condition.For example, according to the first flow condition, a temperature difference of 3 degrees Celsius or Kelvin favors the first flow direction, while a relative wind speed of 40 km / h, according to the second flow condition, favors the second flow direction. The weighting function can be defined so that for every degree of temperature difference, a relative wind speed of at least 10 km / h is required for the flow direction to be determined according to the second flow condition, thus prioritizing the second flow condition over the first. In this example, the second flow condition is prioritized (because 40 km / h is greater than 3 x 10 km / h = 30 km / h). This results in the advantage that the cooling system can be cooled in the most energy-efficient flow direction.

[0023] A further development of the method involves determining the relative wind speed and direction using weather data. For example, if at least one dynamic pressure sensor for determining the relative vectorial wind speed has failed, the vectorial relative wind speed should be determined using the vectorial wind speed, which may be available in the form of weather data.

[0024] This offers the advantage that the relative vectorial wind speed can be determined even if at least one dynamic pressure sensor fails, for example due to contamination, damage, and / or obstruction.

[0025] A further development of the method involves using weather data to determine sun position data, from which the inlet and / or outlet temperatures are derived. For example, if at least one of the two temperature sensors has failed—for instance, due to a defect, dirt, or damage—the inlet and outlet temperatures should be determined or approximated using sun position data obtained from weather information. If, for example, the sun position data indicates that the sun is low behind the vehicle, so low that a main intake opening located at the front of the vehicle or the intake tract itself is shaded by the vehicle cabin or bodywork, this can be converted into a temperature difference between the inlet and outlet temperatures using an empirical formula.When deriving the temperature difference from the sun's position data, factors such as the vehicle's geographical location and / or the time of year can be taken into account. This offers the advantage that the temperature difference can be approximated even if at least one temperature sensor fails.

[0026] A further development of the procedure involves receiving weather data from an online service, particularly a backend server. For this purpose, the vehicle and / or the cooling system can include a communication unit that receives weather data from an online service, especially a backend server, to approximate the relative vectorial wind speed and / or the temperature difference. The online service can be connected to the communication unit, for example, via a data network such as a mobile network, using application software installed on the communication unit.

[0027] For use cases or application situations that may arise during the procedure and are not explicitly described here, it may be provided that, according to the procedure, an error message and / or a request for user feedback is issued and / or a default setting and / or a predetermined initial state, such as the first or second operating mode, is set.

[0028] A second aspect of the invention relates to a control device configured for carrying out a method, in particular according to the first aspect of the invention. Advantages and advantageous developments of the first aspect of the invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous developments of the second aspect of the invention, and vice versa.

[0029] To carry out the method according to the invention, the control unit is configured to control a bidirectional main fan of a radiator assembly to set a flow direction, to execute a weighting function stored in the control unit, for example on a data storage device included in the control unit, to weight at least the two flow conditions, to receive sensor data from at least two temperature sensors, in particular the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, and in particular from at least one dynamic pressure sensor, and in particular to receive weather data from a communication unit of a motor vehicle and / or the radiator assembly. The control unit is configured to process the sensor data and in particular the weather data, i.e., to check whether a first flow condition and / or a second flow condition are fulfilled.Additionally, the control unit can be configured to switch the main fan to cross-ventilation mode.

[0030] The control device can include a data processing device or a processor circuit configured to perform an embodiment or further development of the method according to the invention. For this purpose, the processor circuit can include at least one microprocessor and / or at least one microcontroller and / or at least one FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and / or at least one DSP (Digital Signal Processor). In particular, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) can be used as the microprocessor. Furthermore, the processor circuit can include program code configured to perform the embodiment or further development of the method according to the invention when executed by the processor circuit. The program code can be stored in a data memory of the processor circuit. The processor circuit can be configured to...B. based on at least one circuit board and / or on at least one SoC (System on Chip).

[0031] A third aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle with a control device and a radiator package comprising a main inlet opening, an inlet tract, a refrigerant circuit with a heat exchanger, a main fan and a first temperature sensor for sensing an inlet tract temperature of air that can be drawn into the inlet tract and comprising a second temperature sensor for sensing an outlet tract temperature of air that can be drawn into the outlet tract.

[0032] The control device is designed in particular according to the second aspect of the invention. Advantages and advantageous developments of the third aspect of the invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous developments of the first and second aspects of the invention, and vice versa.

[0033] The motor vehicle is, for example, designed as a car, in particular as a passenger car and / or as a commercial vehicle. The motor vehicle may be designed as an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle, or as a motor vehicle powered exclusively by an internal combustion engine.

[0034] Further training for a motor vehicle stipulates that the vehicle must have at least one dynamic pressure sensor and / or a communication unit for receiving weather data, for example from an online service, particularly from a backend server. The communication unit can therefore be designed to connect to a data network, especially wirelessly, such as the internet or a mobile network.

[0035] As a further solution, the invention also includes a computer-readable storage medium comprising program code which, when executed by a computer or a computer network, causes it to execute an embodiment or further development of the method according to the invention. The storage medium can be provided at least partially as a non-volatile data storage medium (e.g., as flash memory and / or as an SSD - solid state drive) and / or at least partially as a volatile data storage medium (e.g., as RAM - random access memory). The storage medium can be located within the computer or computer network. However, the storage medium can also be operated, for example, as an app store server and / or cloud server on the internet. The computer or computer network can provide a processor circuit with, for example, at least one microprocessor.The program code can be provided as binary code, assembly code, source code of a programming language (e.g., C), or a program script (e.g., Python). Alternatively, the computer-readable storage medium can be implemented as a signal containing computer-readable data, such as a time-varying voltage signal or a radio signal, for example, receivable by the communication device from an online service or backend server.

[0036] The invention also includes combinations of the features of the described embodiments. The invention therefore also includes realizations that each exhibit a combination of the features of several of the described embodiments or further developments, provided that the embodiments or further developments have not been described as mutually exclusive.

[0037] The following are exemplary embodiments of the invention described. This is illustrated by: Fig. 1 A schematic representation of a cooler package through which air flows in a first flow direction with a recirculation of air between an inlet tract and an outlet tract, and Fig. 2 a schematic representation of the cooler package through which flow can occur in the first flow direction and in a second flow direction with a first and a second temperature sensor and in particular a dynamic pressure sensor.

[0038] The exemplary embodiments described below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In these exemplary embodiments, the described components each represent individual features of the invention, which can be considered independently of one another and each further develops the invention independently. Therefore, the disclosure is intended to include combinations of features of the embodiments other than those shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by further features of the invention already described.

[0039] In the figures, identical reference symbols denote functionally equivalent elements.

[0040] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a radiator assembly 1 through which air flows in a first flow direction 9. This assembly includes a main inlet opening 5 of an inlet tract 4, a heat exchanger 2 connected to a coolant circuit (not shown), a main fan 3, an outlet tract 6, and an outlet tract opening 7. Along the first flow direction 9 in a first operating mode, air, which can also be referred to as cooling air, can flow through the main inlet opening 5 into the inlet tract 4, through the heat exchanger 2 and the main fan 3 located downstream of the heat exchanger 2, and into the outlet tract 6. The cooling air can then flow out into the environment via the outlet tract opening 7. The heat exchanger 2 and the main fan 3 can be connected to each other via a frame, which can also be referred to as a radiator shroud, and, as shown in Figure 1, the airflow can be directed towards the surrounding environment. Fig. The cooler assembly 1, shown in 1, is arranged one behind the other in the first flow direction. Fig. 1, can be included by a motor vehicle. The radiator package 1 in Fig. 1 can, for example, be used to cool the vehicle, i.e., to cool the vehicle interior and / or the vehicle's traction battery. In this case, heat from a refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit can be transferred to the cooling air via the heat exchanger 2. Under certain wind and / or weather conditions around the vehicle, recirculation 8 can occur, whereby cooling air warmed by the radiator assembly and exiting the outlet duct opening 7 can flow around the vehicle, even against its direction of travel, so that this warmed cooling air flows back into the inlet duct 4 via the main inlet opening or is drawn in.Because the recirculated and drawn-in cooling air is warmer than non-recirculated cooling air, it may be necessary to increase the amount of cooling air. This may require the main fan 3 to consume more energy to draw in more, especially warmer, cooling air, for example, to maintain a constant cooling performance. Regardless of wind and / or weather conditions, cooling air drawn into the inlet duct 4 in the first operating mode along the first flow direction 9 may be particularly warm when the vehicle is moving. Fig. The radiator package shown in Figure 1, for example, is traveling at walking speed behind a passenger bus, perhaps in a traffic jam. Some passenger buses may have an exhaust pipe at the level of the inlet section 4 and / or the main inlet opening 5, so that the vehicle traveling behind the passenger bus, for example, is exposed to the exhaust gases from the radiator package shown in Figure 1. Fig. The cooling package shown in Figure 1 draws in the warm exhaust gas of the passenger bus as cooling air.

[0041] This can result in a particularly high energy demand for the main fan 3, in order to provide the required cooling capacity by increasing the cooling air mass flow due to the particularly small temperature difference between the refrigerant in the heat exchanger 2 and the warmed cooling air. However, even when the vehicle is stationary, especially when charging a traction battery, it may be necessary to cool the interior and / or the traction battery. Therefore, even when the vehicle is stationary, the warmed cooling air expelled from the outlet 6 into the environment can be drawn back into the inlet 4 as a result of recirculation 8.

[0042] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the cooler assembly 1, which is designed to allow flow through it in the first flow direction 9 and / or in the second flow direction 10. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the cooling package 1 can have a first temperature sensor 11 and a second temperature sensor 12. As shown in Fig. Figure 2 shows that the second flow direction 10 is oriented opposite to the first flow direction 9. In other words, the cooling air flows in the first flow direction 9, as shown in Figure 2. Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the air flows through the main inlet opening 5 into the inlet duct 4, through the heat exchanger 2, the main fan 3 into the outlet duct 6, and then out into the environment via the outlet duct 6 or an outlet duct opening 7. In the second flow direction, in a second operating mode, the main fan 3 can direct the cooling air in a second flow direction 10, opposite to the first flow direction 9. In the second flow direction 10, the cooling air is drawn in via the outlet duct 6 or the outlet duct opening 7, flows through the main fan 3, the heat exchanger 2 (now located downstream of the main fan 3), and exits into the environment via the inlet duct 4 or the main inlet opening 5.To switch between the first and second operating modes, or between the first flow direction 9 and the second flow direction 10, the main fan 3 can be designed as a bidirectional fan. If the main fan 3 is designed as an axial fan, for example, the flow direction 9, 10 can be changed, or the two operating modes switched, by changing the direction of rotation of a fan wheel with rotor elements. Switching between the two operating modes can be dependent on a first flow condition. If the vehicle is to be cooled, for example, the vehicle's interior and / or its traction battery, the first flow condition can state that the air should be drawn in from where it is cooler.For this purpose, the first temperature sensor 11 can be arranged in the vicinity of the main inlet opening 5, and the second temperature sensor 12 can be arranged in the vicinity of the outlet opening 7. The respective temperature readings of the two temperature sensors 11 and 12 can be transmitted to a control unit 14 which is connected to the two temperature sensors 11 and 12 via a data conductor. The control unit 14 can be configured to compare the temperature reading of the first temperature sensor 11, which can also be referred to as the inlet temperature, with the temperature reading of the second temperature sensor 12, which can also be referred to as the outlet temperature. If, for example, the outlet temperature is lower than the inlet temperature, the control unit 12 can control the main fan 3 so that the cooling air is conveyed through the radiator assembly along the second flow direction 10.If the vehicle is to be heated, for example in winter, i.e., if an interior and / or a traction battery of the vehicle is to be heated, it may be provided that the first flow condition states the opposite, i.e., that the cooling air should be drawn in from where the air is warmer (inlet tract or outlet tract).

[0043] As in Fig.As shown in Figure 2, the radiator assembly 1 or the motor vehicle with the radiator assembly 1 can have a dynamic pressure sensor 13 by means of which the wind direction and wind speed of the wind flowing around the motor vehicle can be determined, ascertained, and / or calculated, at least indirectly, for example, by the control unit 14 connected to the dynamic pressure sensor 13 via a data connection. In the control unit 14, a vectorial wind speed relative to a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle can be decomposed from the vectorial wind speed. In other words, the control unit 14 can vectorially decompose the vectorial wind speed or the absolute vectorial wind speed and thus determine the component of the vectorial wind speed that flows relative to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle.The longitudinal direction of the vehicle can describe a direction from the main inlet opening 5 towards the outlet opening 7, or between the inlet tract 4 and the outlet tract 6, or vice versa. For example, by manually switching a vehicle user, the operating mode or flow direction 9, 10 can be determined by the control unit 14 based on the relative vectorial wind speed. For example, a second flow condition can require that the operating mode or flow direction 9, 10 be selected such that the cooling air is drawn in "with the wind".For example, if the outlet tract 6 or the outlet tract opening 7 is located in a rear area, i.e., at the back of the vehicle, for instance on the side of the vehicle facing the road, or on the underbody, and the wind is coming from behind, i.e., the vehicle has a tailwind, the second operating mode can be set so that the cooling package is subjected to flow in the second direction 10. Additionally or alternatively, it can be provided that the relative vectorial wind speed is determined by the control unit 14 using weather data. For this purpose, the control unit 14 can be connected to a communication unit, which can be enclosed by the cooling package 1 and / or the vehicle to receive weather data.For example, weather data from an online service and / or a backend server can be received via the communication unit and transmitted to the control unit 14. This can be particularly advantageous if, for example, at least one dynamic pressure sensor 13 is defective. The dynamic pressure sensor 13 can, for example, be located in the front of the vehicle, for instance next to the first temperature sensor 11, and be configured to determine or sensing the total pressure or dynamic pressure of the airflow around the vehicle in the longitudinal direction or forward direction of travel. The control unit 14 can be configured to take into account the vehicle's speed, i.e., the relative vectorial wind speed, when the vehicle is in motion.Additionally, the main fan 3 and the control unit 14 can be configured so that the main fan 3 is switched to cross-draft operation, or can be switched to cross-draft operation by the control unit 14. In this context, rotor elements or air conveying elements of the main fan 3 can be adjusted or moved in such a way that they offer as little air resistance or flow resistance as possible to the flow through the cooler assembly 1 in the first and second flow directions 9, 10. In conjunction with a sufficient or particularly high relative vectorial wind speed, a significant amount of energy can thus be saved, since the kinetic energy of the wind may be sufficient to move the air through the cooler assembly. This results in substantial energy savings because the main fan does not need to be operated to convey cooling air.

[0044] If the two flow conditions, i.e., the first and the second flow conditions, each prescribe an opposite flow direction 9, 10, the flow direction to be determined or selected 9, 10 can be determined or established by the control unit 14 using a weighting function, for example, stored in a data memory of the control unit 14. For example, the weighting function can specify the required relative vectorial wind speed so that the flow occurs in the opposite direction to the first flow condition according to the second flow condition. For example, for every degree of temperature difference, e.g., between the inlet duct temperature and the outlet duct temperature, the relative vectorial wind speed may have to be at least 10 km / h so that the flow direction 9, 10 is determined according to the second flow condition.For example, the inlet temperature might be 3 degrees lower than the outlet temperature. The vehicle might simultaneously experience a tailwind (wind flowing towards the rear of the vehicle) of 35 km / h. According to the first flow condition, if the vehicle is to be cooled, the cooling air would have to be drawn in through the inlet duct 4, as the air is cooler there. However, according to the second flow condition, the air would have to be drawn in from the outlet duct 6 if, for example, the inlet duct 4 (or the main inlet opening 5) is located at the front of the vehicle and the outlet opening 7 is located at the rear.The weighting function in the control unit 14 can now stipulate that, in the event of a conflict between the two flow conditions, the relative vectorial wind speed should be at least 10 km / h per degree of temperature difference, so that the flow direction 9, 10 is selected according to the second flow condition. In this case, the flow direction 9, 10 can be selected according to the second flow condition, since the relative vectorial wind speed of 35 km / h is greater than 3 degrees x 10 km / h per degree of temperature (degrees Celsius or Kelvin).

[0045] A particularly preferred embodiment is described below.

[0046] Cooling assemblies, typically consisting of a fan (also referred to as the main fan 3), a heat exchanger 2, and a radiator shroud with heat exchanger 2 and main fan 3, are installed at the front of the vehicle or in a front section of the vehicle. This cooling assembly serves to condition the vehicle's thermal management system (TMM) through airflow through the heat exchanger 2 (HX). This is achieved through simple airflow (driving air) and / or by actively drawing in the required air from one side using at least one fan motor of the main fan 3.

[0047] According to the idea, a sensor system, which can include a first and a second temperature sensor, or alternatively an additional dynamic pressure sensor 13, can determine a Delta-T, which can also be described as the temperature difference between temperature readings of a first temperature sensor 11 and a second temperature sensor 12, so that air or cooling air can be drawn in from where the air is cooler (inlet tract 4 or outlet tract 6).

[0048] The idea could be used in all mobile applications with cooling package 1.

[0049] A disadvantage of known cooling packages can be that under unfavorable conditions (e.g. tailwind at slow speed or when stationary) the warm exhaust air of the cooling package 1 cannot be expelled to the rear or through the outlet tract 6, but is drawn back in due to recirculation 8, for example into the inlet tract 4, which can lead to line losses.

[0050] The described idea is intended to exclude recirculation 8 depending on the ambient conditions and the driving state by ensuring a flexible design of the flow direction 9 , 10 (e.g. by a bidirectionally operating fan motor of the main fan 3) of the radiator package 1.

[0051] The idea is described in two or three exemplary embodiments, whereby the idea can be realized in one of the embodiments or in a combination of the embodiments. Option a):

[0052] In addition to the standard sensor or first temperature sensor 11 in the air intake or around the main intake opening 5, a sensor or second temperature sensor 12 is installed in the "outflow area," for example, on the underbody of the vehicle, or in an area immediately surrounding an exhaust tract opening 7. The comparison of the two sensors or temperature sensors 11, 12 determines the "cooler" intake location and, if necessary, changes the blade position or angle of rotor elements or the direction of rotation of the radiator fan, which can also be referred to as the main fan 3. Option b):

[0053] Using a dynamic pressure sensor 13 (e.g. in the front end), the wind conditions are directly determined, and the flow direction 9, 10 of the cooling package 1 can then be changed. Option c):

[0054] Determining environmental conditions through online comparison, for example by retrieving data from an online service, including driving data, weather data, environmental data and / or planned route (shadows, wind conditions).

[0055] Overall, the examples show how sensor-controlled optimization of heat dissipation can be provided in a cooler package.

Claims

[1] Method for operating a radiator assembly (1) for a motor vehicle, wherein the radiator assembly (1) has a main inlet opening (5), an inlet tract (4), a heat exchanger (2) for a refrigerant circuit of the motor vehicle, a bidirectionally operable main fan (3) and an outlet tract (6) along a first flow direction (9) of a first operating mode and is operated in the first or a second operating mode depending on a flow condition, wherein its flow direction, a second flow direction (10), is oriented opposite to the first flow direction (9) and wherein a first flow condition describes a temperature difference between an inlet tract temperature of air that can be drawn into the inlet tract (4) and an outlet tract temperature of air that can be drawn into the outlet tract (6), each sensed by a respective temperature sensor (11, 12),wherein the inlet tract temperature is a temperature of the air around the inlet tract (4) or around the main inlet opening (5) of the inlet tract (4), through which air can be drawn into the inlet tract (4), and the outlet tract temperature is a temperature of the air around the outlet tract (6), wherein the temperature sensors (11, 12) are each arranged in the immediate vicinity of the main inlet opening (5) of the inlet tract (4) and in the immediate vicinity around the outlet tract (6), so that the temperature of air in the respective vicinity outside the radiator assembly (1) and thus of the respective intake air is measured by means of the temperature sensors (11, 12). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein at least one dynamic pressure sensor (13) is used to sense a wind speed and a wind direction of the wind flowing around the motor vehicle relative to a motor vehicle longitudinal direction and a second flow condition describes the relative wind direction and the relative wind speed. [3] Method according to claim 2, wherein, depending on the relative wind speed and the relative wind direction, the main fan (3) is switched to cross-flow by aligning adjustable rotor elements of the main fan (3) in a flow direction so that the main fan (3) can be flowed through with as little air resistance as possible, and the main fan (3) is switched off. [4] Method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the first and the second flow conditions (9, 10) are weighted by means of a weighting function and as a result of weighting by means of the weighting function one of the flow conditions and / or flow directions is prioritized. [5] Method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the relative wind speed and / or the relative wind direction are determined using weather data. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein sun position data are determined using weather data, from which the inlet tract temperature and / or the outlet tract temperature are derived. [7] Method according to one of claims 5 or 6, wherein the weather data is received from an online service, in particular a backend server. [8] Control device (14) configured to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims by controlling a bidirectional main fan (3) of a cooling package (1), by a weighting function executably stored in the control device (14), by receiving and processing sensor data from at least two temperature sensors (11, 12) and in particular from at least one dynamic pressure sensor (13) and in particular by receiving and processing weather data from a communication unit. [9] Motor vehicle with a control device (14) according to claim 8 and a radiator package (1) comprising a main inlet opening (5), an inlet tract (4), a refrigerant circuit with heat exchanger (2), a main fan (3) and a first temperature sensor (11) for sensing an inlet tract temperature of air that can be drawn into the inlet tract (4) and a second temperature sensor (12) for sensing an outlet tract temperature of air that can be drawn into the outlet tract (6), wherein the inlet tract temperature is a temperature of the air around the inlet tract (4) or around the main inlet opening (5) of the inlet tract (4) through which air can be drawn into the inlet tract (4), and the outlet tract temperature is a temperature of the air around the outlet tract (6), wherein the temperature sensors (11,12) are each arranged in the immediate vicinity of the main inlet opening (5) of the inlet tract (4) and in the immediate vicinity around the outlet tract (6), so that the temperature of air in the respective environment outside the radiator package (1) and thus of the air being drawn in can be measured by means of the temperature sensors (11, 12). [10] Motor vehicle according to claim 9 with at least one dynamic pressure sensor (13) and / or a communication unit for receiving weather data.

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