Vehicle

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of simplifying a structure surrounding an engine.SOLUTION: A vehicle comprises: an engine which drives the vehicle; a supercharger which supplies compressed air to the engine; an intercooler which is arranged between the engine and the supercharger and cools the compressed air; a temperature sensor which detects a temperature of the compressed air passing through the intercooler; and a monitoring device which monitors cooling performance of the intercooler. The monitoring device: estimates a normal time heat radiation amount of the intercooler using data on a vehicle speed, an external temperature, an atmospheric pressure and a boost pressure of the supercharger; calculates an actual heat radiation amount of the intercooler using data on the external temperature, the atmospheric pressure, the boost pressure, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, an engine rotation speed and an engine load; and determines that the intercooler has abnormality in the cooling performance when the actual heat radiation amount is lower than the normal time heat radiation amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an engine peripheral structure of a vehicle having an engine. In addition to the engine, the vehicle is equipped with a turbocharger and an intercooler. The intercooler cools the air compressed by the turbocharger. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-213473 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned vehicle, if the cooling performance of the intercooler does not function normally, there is a risk that air heated by compression by the turbocharger will flow directly into the engine. In this case, in order to avoid the occurrence of abnormal combustion, control to delay the ignition timing is activated, which may worsen engine emissions. Therefore, in a vehicle equipped with an intercooler, it is necessary to constantly monitor the cooling performance of the intercooler and detect any abnormalities. However, when temperature sensors that detect both the inlet temperature and outlet temperature of the intercooler are provided, the structure around the engine may become relatively large and complicated. This specification provides a technology that can avoid or suppress such problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The technology disclosed in this specification is embodied in a vehicle. The vehicle includes an engine that drives the vehicle, a turbocharger that supplies compressed air into the engine, an intercooler that is disposed between the engine and the turbocharger and that cools the compressed air, a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the compressed air that has passed through the intercooler, and a monitoring device that monitors the cooling performance of the intercooler. The monitoring device estimates a heat dissipation amount of the intercooler in a normal state using data on the vehicle speed, outside air temperature, atmospheric pressure, and supercharging pressure by the supercharger, calculates an actual heat dissipation amount of the intercooler using data on the outside air temperature, the atmospheric pressure, the supercharging pressure, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the engine speed, and the engine load, and determines that an abnormality has occurred in the cooling performance of the intercooler when the actual heat dissipation amount is lower than the normal heat dissipation amount.

[0006] In the above-mentioned configuration, the normal heat dissipation amount of the intercooler is estimated from the data of the vehicle speed, outside air temperature, atmospheric pressure, and boost pressure, and the actual heat dissipation amount of the intercooler is calculated from the data of the outside air temperature, atmospheric pressure, boost pressure, intercooler outlet temperature, engine speed, and engine load. Then, by comparing these heat dissipation amounts, the presence or absence of an abnormality in the cooling performance of the intercooler is determined. Therefore, there is no need to provide an additional temperature sensor that detects the inlet temperature in addition to the outlet temperature of the intercooler. As a result, the structure around the vehicle engine is relatively simplified. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle. [Diagram 2] 4 is a flowchart showing a series of steps of an abnormality determination process executed by the monitoring device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] A vehicle 10 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 includes an engine 12, a supercharger 14, a boost sensor 16, an intercooler 18, a temperature sensor 20, and a monitoring device 22.

[0009] The engine 12 is an internal combustion engine that drives the vehicle 10. The engine 12 is a gasoline engine.

[0010] The turbocharger 14 supplies compressed air into the engine. The turbocharger 14 is a so-called turbocharger and has a turbine and a compressor. The turbocharger 14 converts the flow of the intake exhaust gas into rotational motion by the turbine, and rotates the compressor to generate compressed air. In another embodiment, the turbocharger 14 may be a so-called supercharger that is powered by the rotation of the crankshaft.

[0011] The boost sensor 16 is connected to the turbocharger 14 and measures the pressure (i.e., the boost pressure) of the air compressed by the turbocharger 14. The boost sensor 16 is connected to a monitoring device 22 so as to be able to communicate with the monitoring device 22.

[0012] The intercooler 18 is disposed between the engine 12 and the turbocharger 14. The intercooler 18 cools the compressed air that has been heated by compression by the turbocharger 14.

[0013] The temperature sensor 20 is disposed between the engine 12 and the intercooler 18. The temperature sensor 20 detects the temperature of the compressed air that has passed through the intercooler 18 (i.e., the outlet temperature of the intercooler 18). The temperature sensor 20 is connected to a monitoring device 22 so as to be able to communicate with the monitoring device 22.

[0014] The monitoring device 22 monitors the cooling performance of the intercooler 18. The monitoring device 22 has, for example, a processor and a memory. The monitoring device 22 acquires various data from various sensors at predetermined time intervals. Then, based on the data, the monitoring device 22 repeatedly executes an abnormality determination process to determine whether the cooling performance of the intercooler 18 is normal / abnormal, in accordance with a program pre-stored in the memory. The various data acquired by the monitoring device 22 include vehicle speed, outside air temperature, atmospheric pressure, boost pressure (also called booster pressure) from the boost sensor 16, temperature detected by the temperature sensor 20, engine speed, engine load, etc.

[0015] Next, an example of an abnormality determination process for the intercooler 18 executed by the monitoring device 22 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0016] In step S12, the monitoring device 22 calculates a required intake air amount (that is, the amount of air to be supplied to the engine 12) from the engine speed and the engine load required by the user.

[0017] In step S14, the monitoring device 22 calculates the temperature of the compressed air supplied to the intercooler 18 (that is, the inlet temperature of the intercooler 18) from the detection data of the outside air temperature sensor, the atmospheric pressure sensor, and the boost sensor 16.

[0018] In step S16, the monitoring device 22 calculates the actual heat dissipation amount Qreal of the intercooler 18 from the required intake air amount calculated in S12, the inlet temperature of the intercooler 18 calculated in step S14, and the outlet temperature of the intercooler 18 measured by the temperature sensor 20. Specifically, the actual heat dissipation amount Qreal is calculated by Qreal=m*C*ΔT, where m is the required intake air amount, C is the specific heat (constant value), and ΔT is the difference temperature between the inlet temperature of the intercooler 18 and the outlet temperature of the intercooler 18.

[0019] In step S18, the monitoring device 22 calculates the thermal conductivity from the vehicle speed data. As an example, the monitoring device 22 stores a map describing standard values ​​of the thermal conductivity of the intercooler 18 for various vehicle speeds, and the monitoring device 22 uses the map to derive the thermal conductivity of the intercooler 18 when it is normal from the current vehicle speed data.

[0020] In step S20, the monitoring device 22 calculates the logarithmic mean temperature difference ΔTlm from the data detected by the outside air temperature sensor and the intercooler inlet temperature calculated in step S14.

[0021] In step S22, the monitoring device 22 calculates the amount of heat radiation Qest from the intercooler 18 in a normal state from the thermal conductivity calculated in step S18 and the logarithmic mean temperature difference ΔTlm calculated in step S20. Specifically, the amount of heat radiation Qest in a normal state is calculated by Qest=U*A*ΔTlm, where U is the overall heat transfer coefficient, i.e., the thermal conductivity according to step S18, and A is the transfer area (constant value).

[0022] In step S24, the monitoring device 22 judges whether the actual heat dissipation amount Qreal calculated in step S18 is equal to or greater than the normal heat dissipation amount Qest calculated in step S22. When the actual heat dissipation amount Qreal is equal to or greater than the normal heat dissipation amount Qest (YES in step S24), the monitoring device 22 proceeds to processing in step S26 and judges that the cooling performance of the intercooler 18 is normal. When the actual heat dissipation amount Qreal is lower than the normal heat dissipation amount Qest (NO in step S24), the monitoring device 22 proceeds to processing in step S28 and judges that the cooling performance of the intercooler 18 is abnormal.

[0023] With the above, a series of processes by the monitoring device 22 is completed. In this manner, the monitoring device 22 estimates the amount of heat radiation Qest of the intercooler 18 in the normal state using data on the vehicle speed, outside air temperature, atmospheric pressure, and boost pressure by the supercharger 14 of the vehicle 10. The monitoring device 22 also calculates the actual amount of heat radiation Qreal of the intercooler 18 using data on the outside air temperature, atmospheric pressure, boost pressure, temperature detected by the temperature sensor 20 (i.e., the outlet temperature of the intercooler 18), engine speed, and engine load. Then, when the actual amount of heat radiation Qreal falls below the amount of heat radiation Qest in the normal state, the monitoring device 22 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the cooling performance of the intercooler 18. With this configuration, there is no need to provide a temperature sensor that detects the inlet temperature in addition to the outlet temperature of the intercooler 18. As a result, the peripheral structure of the engine 12 of the vehicle 10 is relatively simplified. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 10: vehicle, 12: engine, 14: turbocharger, 16: boost sensor, 18: intercooler, 20: temperature sensor, 22: monitoring device

Claims

[Claim 1] A vehicle, An engine that drives the vehicle; A supercharger for supplying compressed air into the engine; an intercooler disposed between the engine and the turbocharger and configured to cool the compressed air; a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the compressed air having passed through the intercooler; A monitoring device for monitoring the cooling performance of the intercooler; Equipped with The monitoring device includes: estimating a heat dissipation amount of the intercooler under normal conditions using data on a vehicle speed, an outside air temperature, an atmospheric pressure, and a boost pressure by the supercharger; calculating an actual amount of heat radiation from the intercooler using data on the outside air temperature, the atmospheric pressure, the boost pressure, the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the engine speed, and the engine load; When the actual heat dissipation amount is lower than the normal heat dissipation amount, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the cooling performance of the intercooler. vehicle.

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