Engine cooling control method and apparatus, vehicle, and storage medium

Abstract

An engine cooling control method, comprising: acquiring operation information of an engine; on the basis of the operation information, determining degree of openness of a thermostat (2) on a cooling loop of the engine, and a target water temperature on the cooling loop; and, on the basis of the target water temperature on the cooling loop and the degree of openness of the thermostat (2), controlling the engine to cool. The engine cooling control method performs cooling control on the basis using water temperature as a closed-loop control target, in combination with the degree of openness of the thermostat (2), which can further improve control precision. Also provided are an engine cooling apparatus, a vehicle implementing the engine cooling control method, and a storage medium.

Description

Engine cooling control method and device, vehicle, and storage medium

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202311171197.0 filed on September 11, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to, but is not limited to, the field of automobile control technology, and in particular to a method and device for controlling engine cooling, a vehicle, and a storage medium. Background Art

[0003] With increasingly stringent fuel economy regulations, hybrid and electrified engines have become mainstream technological trends. Engine cooling systems have also been gradually upgraded from a mechanical water pump (MWP) + wax thermostat solution to an electric water pump (EWP) + electronic thermostat solution.

[0004] The EWP decouples cooling system flow from engine speed, while the electronic thermostat decouples thermostat valve opening from water temperature within the cooling path. This significantly increases the controllability of the cooling system and provides a technical foundation for improving engine thermal efficiency. Furthermore, compared to a transmission engine cooling system, electrification introduces additional control variables for EWP speed and electronic thermostat opening, significantly increasing the control complexity of the cooling system. Failure to achieve effective matching will not only fail to achieve the economic goal of improving engine thermal efficiency, but may also lead to reliability risks such as insufficient cooling capacity, abnormal water temperature fluctuations, and slow system response. Technical issues

[0005] In view of this, embodiments of the present application hope to provide a method and device for controlling engine cooling, a vehicle, and a storage medium. Technical Solutions

[0006] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for controlling engine cooling, the method comprising:

[0007] Get engine operating information;

[0008] determining, based on the operating information, an opening of a thermostat on a cooling circuit of the engine and a target water temperature on the cooling circuit;

[0009] The engine cooling is controlled according to a target water temperature in the cooling circuit and an opening of the thermostat.

[0010] In some embodiments, the method further comprises:

[0011] Obtaining a current water temperature on a cooling circuit of the engine;

[0012] The controlling of the engine cooling according to the target water temperature in the cooling circuit and the opening of the thermostat includes:

[0013] The engine cooling is controlled according to the target water temperature on the cooling circuit, the current water temperature on the cooling circuit, and the opening of the thermostat.

[0014] In some embodiments, controlling the engine cooling according to the target water temperature of the cooling circuit, the current water temperature of the cooling circuit, and the opening of the thermostat includes:

[0015] In response to the thermostat opening being fully open and the target water temperature in the cooling circuit being less than the current water temperature in the cooling circuit, increasing the speed of the water pump in the cooling circuit;

[0016] In response to the thermostat opening being indicated as fully open and the target water temperature in the cooling circuit being greater than the current water temperature in the cooling circuit, the thermostat opening is reduced.

[0017] In some embodiments, controlling the engine cooling according to the target water temperature of the cooling circuit, the current water temperature of the cooling circuit, and the opening of the thermostat includes:

[0018] In response to the thermostat opening being not fully open, the speed of the water pump on the cooling circuit is controlled to be less than a preset speed threshold, and the opening of the thermostat is controlled according to the target water temperature and the current water temperature.

[0019] In some embodiments, controlling the opening of the thermostat according to the target water temperature and the current water temperature includes:

[0020] In response to a target water temperature on the cooling circuit being less than a current water temperature on the cooling circuit, increasing the thermostat opening;

[0021] In response to a target water temperature in the cooling circuit being greater than a current water temperature in the cooling circuit, the thermostat opening is reduced.

[0022] In some embodiments, determining the opening of a thermostat in a cooling circuit of the engine and a target water temperature in the cooling circuit based on the operating information includes:

[0023] Determining the opening of a thermostat on a cooling circuit of the engine according to a first preset correspondence; wherein the first preset correspondence includes: a mapping between the operating information and the opening of the thermostat;

[0024] The target water temperature on the cooling circuit is determined according to the operating information and a second preset corresponding relationship; wherein the second preset corresponding relationship includes: a mapping between the operating information and the target water temperature.

[0025] In some embodiments, the operating information includes engine speed, engine torque, and intake air temperature of the engine.

[0026] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a control device for engine cooling, the device comprising:

[0027] A first acquisition module is configured to acquire engine operation information;

[0028] a second acquisition module configured to determine an opening of a thermostat on a cooling circuit of the engine and a target water temperature on the cooling circuit according to the operating information;

[0029] The control module is configured to control the cooling of the engine according to the target water temperature on the cooling circuit and the opening of the thermostat.

[0030] In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises:

[0031] a third acquisition module configured to acquire a current water temperature on a cooling circuit of the engine;

[0032] The control module is further configured to control the engine cooling according to the target water temperature on the cooling circuit, the current water temperature on the cooling circuit, and the opening of the thermostat.

[0033] In some embodiments, the control module is further configured to increase the speed of the water pump on the cooling circuit in response to the thermostat opening being fully open and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being less than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit; and to decrease the thermostat opening in response to the thermostat opening being fully open and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being greater than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit.

[0034] In some embodiments, the control module is further configured to control the speed of the water pump on the cooling circuit to be less than a preset speed threshold in response to the opening of the thermostat being indicated as not fully open, and to control the opening of the thermostat according to the target water temperature and the current water temperature.

[0035] In some embodiments, the control module is further configured to increase the thermostat opening in response to the thermostat opening being indicated as not fully open and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being less than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit; and to decrease the thermostat opening in response to the thermostat opening being indicated as not fully open and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being greater than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit.

[0036] In some embodiments, the second acquisition module is further configured to determine the opening of the thermostat on the cooling circuit of the engine based on a first preset correspondence; wherein the first preset correspondence includes: a mapping between the operating information and the opening of the thermostat; and determine the target water temperature on the cooling circuit based on the operating information and the second preset correspondence; wherein the second preset correspondence includes: a mapping between the operating information and the target water temperature.

[0037] In some embodiments, the operating information includes engine speed, engine torque, and intake air temperature of the engine.

[0038] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a vehicle, comprising:

[0039] a processor; a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor;

[0040] The processor is configured to execute the method described in the first aspect.

[0041] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which implements the method described in the first aspect when the computer program is executed by a processor. Beneficial effects

[0042] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application may have the following effects:

[0043] By acquiring engine operating information, the embodiment of the present application can determine the thermostat opening and the target water temperature in the cooling circuit of the engine. The ECU (Engine Control Unit) flexibly controls the thermostat opening and the speed of the water pump in the engine cooling circuit based on the thermostat opening and the target water temperature. The method of the embodiment of the present application, on the one hand, uses water temperature as the closed-loop control target, which can reduce the impact of heat dissipation differences under different operating conditions, improve the universality of various operating conditions, and also improve the engine's thermal efficiency, thereby maximizing the cooling system's contribution to engine economy. On the other hand, because the thermostat can adjust the cooling effect of the engine cooling circuit, cooling control based on the water temperature as the closed-loop control target and combined with the thermostat opening can further improve control accuracy.

[0044] It should be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] The drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and constitute a part of the specification. These drawings illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application and, together with the specification, are used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application.

[0046] FIG1 is a flow chart of a method for controlling engine cooling provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] FIG2 is an exemplary diagram of an engine cooling structure provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG3 is an example diagram of a mapping relationship between engine operating information and thermostat opening in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG4 is a flowchart illustrating an engine cooling control method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of an engine cooling control device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a hardware entity of a vehicle in an embodiment of the present application. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0052] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application are further elaborated in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The described embodiments should not be regarded as limiting this application. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0053] In the following description, reference is made to “some embodiments”, which describes a subset of all possible embodiments, but it will be understood that “some embodiments” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0054] The terms "first / second / third" involved in this application are merely used to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of the objects. It is understandable that "first / second / third" can be interchanged with a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of the present application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0055] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing this application only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0056] A related art method for controlling engine cooling exists. This method prioritizes the electronic thermostat opening, EWP power, and fan speed based on the relationship between the required heat dissipation and the engine's heat dissipation, thereby achieving heat dissipation control to meet the required heat dissipation. However, this method suffers from two problems. The first is that using heat dissipation as the sole metric for regulating corresponding components lacks universal applicability. Heat dissipation is determined under specific experimental conditions and is affected by factors such as water temperature, ambient temperature, and engine manufacturing consistency. Using a fixed heat dissipation as a control standard can only meet the requirements of a specific operating condition and cannot cover the different vehicle usage conditions. The second problem is that simply prioritizing the thermostat opening, EWP power, and fan speed in sequence can meet steady-state operating conditions, but it cannot take into account the target water temperature requirement when switching between transient operating conditions, thus failing to achieve optimal economy.

[0057] In this regard, the present application provides a method for controlling engine cooling. FIG1 is a flow chart of a method for controlling engine cooling provided by an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG1 , the method includes the following steps:

[0058] S11, obtaining engine operating information;

[0059] S12, determining an opening of a thermostat in a cooling circuit of the engine and a target water temperature in the cooling circuit based on the operating information;

[0060] S13: Controlling the engine cooling according to the target water temperature in the cooling circuit and the opening of the thermostat.

[0061] In embodiments of the present application, the engine cooling control method can be applied to vehicles, for example, where the vehicle controls engine cooling via an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU, a core electronic component in modern vehicles, serves as the engine's integrated control device. Its function is to calculate, process, and determine various inputs from the engine's sensors based on its stored programs, then output instructions to control the actions of relevant actuators, achieving rapid, accurate, and automatic control of engine operation.

[0062] The engine cooling system also plays a crucial role in a vehicle's powertrain. While the engine is operating, the cooling system regulates and controls temperature, ensuring that all engine components maintain a normal operating temperature. This ensures optimal power output and reduces fuel waste. The thermostat also plays a crucial role in the engine cooling system. It automatically adjusts the amount of coolant entering the radiator based on the coolant's temperature, altering the coolant's circulation range and thereby regulating the engine's heat dissipation capacity, ensuring the engine operates within an appropriate temperature range. In the embodiments of this application, the ECU also controls the operation of the engine cooling system.

[0063] FIG2 is an example diagram of the structure of an engine cooling system provided by an embodiment of the present application, as shown in FIG2: 1 is an engine body; 2 is a thermostat, wherein the thermostat 2 may include an electronic thermostat, a wax thermostat, etc. As mentioned above, the thermostat 2 can automatically adjust the heat dissipation capacity of the engine according to the temperature of the coolant; 3 is a water pump, wherein the water pump 3 may include an electric water pump, a mechanical water pump, a centrifugal pump, etc. The water pump 3 mainly provides coolant for the engine cooling system, and the coolant flow rate of the water pump 3 can be adjusted by adjusting the speed of the water pump 3; 4 is a radiator, and the radiator 4 dissipates heat for the engine body 1, wherein the coolant flow rate flowing through the radiator 4 can be adjusted by adjusting the opening of the thermostat 3, thereby adjusting the heat dissipation capacity of the radiator 4 to the engine body 1; 5 is a water temperature sensor, The ECU can obtain the current water temperature of the engine cooling system through the water temperature sensor 5, and thus adjust the current water temperature of the engine cooling system by controlling the opening of the thermostat 2 and the speed of the water pump 3; 6 is the intake manifold temperature sensor, and the ECU can obtain the intake air temperature of the engine cooling system through the intake manifold temperature sensor 6; 7 is the engine speed sensor, and the ECU can obtain the engine speed through the engine speed sensor 7; 8 is the ambient temperature sensor, and the ECU can obtain the ambient temperature through the ambient temperature sensor 8; 9 is the ECU, as mentioned above, ECU9 can obtain engine operation information and the current water temperature, ambient temperature and other information of the engine cooling system, and thus control the opening of the thermostat 2 and the speed of the water pump 3 according to the above information, thereby controlling the cooling of the engine body 1.

[0064] In step S11, the vehicle may obtain engine operating information, which may include engine speed, engine torque, and engine intake air temperature. For example, the vehicle ECU may obtain engine speed n from engine speed sensor 7, engine torque T from engine body 1, and intake air temperature t_in from intake manifold temperature sensor 6.

[0065] In step S12, the vehicle determines the opening of the thermostat in the engine cooling circuit based on the engine operating information. For example, the thermostat opening e corresponding to the current operating information may be determined based on a mapping relationship between the operating information and the thermostat opening. In embodiments of the present application, the vehicle may also determine a target water temperature in the engine cooling circuit based on the engine operating information. For example, the target water temperature T0 in the engine cooling circuit corresponding to the current operating information may be determined based on a mapping relationship between the engine operating information and the target water temperature in the engine cooling circuit.

[0066] It should be noted that in an embodiment of the present application, the vehicle can also determine the speed of the water pump on the engine cooling circuit based on the above-mentioned engine operating information. For example, the speed n_ewp of the water pump 3 on the cooling circuit of the engine corresponding to the current operating information can be determined based on the mapping relationship between the operating information and the water pump speed.

[0067] In step S13, the vehicle controls engine cooling based on the target water temperature and thermostat opening in the cooling circuit. This may include controlling the adjustment values ​​of control components. The controlled components include at least one of the following: a water pump, a thermostat, and a radiator that cools the engine. The adjustment values ​​of the controlled components can be target values, incremental values, and so on, and are not limited in this embodiment. For example, the vehicle may control the water pump speed, thermostat opening, and radiator heat dissipation power in the cooling circuit based on the target water temperature and thermostat opening.

[0068] The embodiments of the present application obtain engine operating information to determine the thermostat opening and target water temperature for the engine's cooling circuit, thereby enabling the vehicle to flexibly control engine cooling based on the thermostat opening and target water temperature. It is understood that the method of the embodiments of the present application, on the one hand, using water temperature as the closed-loop control target can reduce the impact of differences in heat dissipation under different operating conditions, improving the universality of various operating conditions, and also improving engine thermal efficiency, thereby maximizing the cooling system's contribution to engine economy. On the other hand, as previously mentioned, the thermostat can adjust the amount of coolant. Therefore, by combining cooling control with the thermostat opening based on water temperature as the closed-loop control target, control accuracy can be further improved.

[0069] In some embodiments, the method further comprises:

[0070] Obtaining a current water temperature on a cooling circuit of the engine;

[0071] The controlling of the engine cooling according to the target water temperature in the cooling circuit and the opening of the thermostat includes:

[0072] The engine cooling is controlled according to the target water temperature on the cooling circuit, the current water temperature on the cooling circuit, and the opening of the thermostat.

[0073] As mentioned above, the vehicle can obtain the current water temperature of the engine cooling system from the water temperature sensor. In the embodiment of the present application, the vehicle also controls the engine cooling based on the target water temperature, the current water temperature and the opening of the thermostat.

[0074] In some embodiments, the vehicle may control engine cooling based on a mapping relationship between a thermostat opening, a target water temperature on the engine cooling circuit, the current water temperature, and an adjustment value of a component to be controlled.

[0075] In other embodiments, the vehicle may determine a control method based on the thermostat opening and the relationship between the target water temperature and the current water temperature. The control method may include, for example, a target component to be controlled and an adjustment value for the target component. For example, if the current water temperature differs significantly from the target water temperature, priority may be given to adjusting components that facilitate rapid engine cooling, or a method may be employed to rapidly adjust multiple components. If the current water temperature differs slightly from the target water temperature, the target component to be adjusted may be determined based on the cooling adjustment performance and / or power consumption of each component.

[0076] The engine cooling control method provided in the embodiment of the present application is a method in which the vehicle further controls engine cooling in combination with the current water temperature in the engine cooling circuit. On the basis of using the target water temperature as a closed-loop control, combined with the current water temperature, the vehicle can adopt a more matching adjustment method based on the initial water temperature, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of the adjustment.

[0077] In some embodiments, controlling the engine cooling according to the target water temperature of the cooling circuit, the current water temperature of the cooling circuit, and the opening of the thermostat includes:

[0078] In response to the thermostat opening being fully open and the target water temperature in the cooling circuit being less than the current water temperature in the cooling circuit, increasing the speed of the water pump in the cooling circuit;

[0079] In response to the thermostat opening being indicated as fully open and the target water temperature in the cooling circuit being greater than the current water temperature in the cooling circuit, the thermostat opening is reduced.

[0080] In the embodiment of the present application, it should be noted that when the opening of the thermostat is fully open, the coolant in the engine cooling circuit flows from the water pump to the engine body, then flows to the radiator through the thermostat, the radiator flows to the water pump, and finally flows back to the engine body through the water pump, thereby performing a large cycle of engine cooling; when the opening of the thermostat is fully closed, the coolant in the engine cooling circuit flows from the water pump to the engine body, only flows to the water pump through the thermostat, and finally flows back to the engine body through the water pump, thereby performing a small cycle of engine cooling; when the opening of the thermostat is partially open, the large cycle and small cycle of engine cooling are carried out simultaneously.

[0081] In an embodiment of the present application, in response to the thermostat being fully open and the target water temperature in the cooling circuit being less than the current water temperature in the cooling circuit, the vehicle increases the speed of the water pump in the cooling circuit. For example, the thermostat opening e may be controlled to remain fully open, while the water pump speed n_ewp is increased until the target water temperature in the cooling circuit equals the current water temperature in the cooling circuit. Since the target water temperature in the cooling circuit is less than the current water temperature in the cooling circuit, further improvement in engine cooling is required. Increasing the water pump speed, when the thermostat is already fully open, can effectively and quickly achieve engine cooling.

[0082] In an embodiment of the present application, in response to the vehicle's thermostat being fully open and the target water temperature in the cooling circuit being greater than the current water temperature in the cooling circuit, the vehicle reduces the thermostat opening. For example, the water pump speed n_ewp may be controlled to remain constant while the thermostat opening e is reduced until the target water temperature in the cooling circuit equals the current water temperature in the cooling circuit. Since the target water temperature in the cooling circuit is greater than the current water temperature in the cooling circuit, it indicates that engine cooling requirements are being met. Therefore, reducing the thermostat opening reduces the flow of coolant entering the radiator, thereby reducing the heat dissipation capacity of the engine, thereby saving vehicle power consumption.

[0083] Of course, in the embodiment of the present application, when the target water temperature in the cooling circuit is greater than the current water temperature in the cooling circuit, the speed of the water pump in the cooling circuit can also be reduced. However, since the instantaneous reduction in the water pump speed may bring about engine reliability risks, the method of reducing the opening of the thermostat in the embodiment of the present application can also improve the stability of vehicle operation.

[0084] Based on the target water temperature as the control target, the embodiment of the present application specifically adjusts the thermostat opening or the water pump speed in the cooling circuit according to the relationship between the thermostat opening and the target water temperature and the current water temperature, which helps to improve the efficiency and reliability of the regulation.

[0085] In some embodiments, controlling the engine cooling according to the target water temperature of the cooling circuit, the current water temperature of the cooling circuit, and the opening of the thermostat includes:

[0086] In response to the thermostat opening being not fully open, the speed of the water pump on the cooling circuit is controlled to be less than a preset speed threshold, and the opening of the thermostat is controlled according to the target water temperature and the current water temperature.

[0087] The preset speed threshold in the embodiment of the present application is a calibrated value, which can be infinitely close to the minimum speed of the water pump. The preset speed thresholds calibrated for different water pumps may be different. For example, in the embodiment of the present application, the speed n_ewp of the water pump on the cooling circuit is less than the preset speed threshold, which can be understood as the speed n_ewp of the water pump is the minimum speed n_ewp_min.

[0088] In the embodiment of the present application, since the opening of the thermostat is indicated as not fully open, it means that based on the current operating information of the engine, the current cooling demand of the engine body may not be very large, and considering that the water pump consumes a lot of power when running at high speed, the embodiment of the present application can make the speed of the water pump in the cooling circuit less than the preset speed threshold when the opening of the thermostat is indicated as not fully open, and control the opening of the thermostat according to the target water temperature and the current water temperature to achieve cooling regulation.

[0089] In the embodiment of the present application, when the thermostat is not fully open, the speed of the water pump in the cooling circuit is controlled to be less than a preset speed threshold and the opening of the thermostat is adjusted. This can improve the thermal efficiency of engine cooling while taking into account the overall power consumption caused by the water pump power.

[0090] In some embodiments, controlling the opening of the thermostat according to the target water temperature and the current water temperature includes:

[0091] In response to a target water temperature on the cooling circuit being less than a current water temperature on the cooling circuit, increasing the thermostat opening;

[0092] In response to a target water temperature in the cooling circuit being greater than a current water temperature in the cooling circuit, the thermostat opening is reduced.

[0093] In this embodiment of the present application, when the thermostat opening is not fully open, the vehicle increases the thermostat opening in response to the target cooling circuit water temperature being less than the current cooling circuit water temperature until the target cooling circuit water temperature equals the current cooling circuit water temperature. Since the target cooling circuit water temperature is less than the current cooling circuit water temperature, this indicates that further enhanced engine cooling is required. Therefore, increasing the thermostat opening increases the flow rate of coolant entering the radiator, thereby improving heat dissipation from the engine.

[0094] In this embodiment of the present application, when the thermostat opening is not fully open, the vehicle decreases the thermostat opening until the target cooling circuit water temperature equals the current cooling circuit water temperature in response to the target cooling circuit water temperature being greater than the current cooling circuit water temperature. Since the target cooling circuit water temperature is greater than the current cooling circuit water temperature, the engine's cooling requirements are met. Therefore, decreasing the thermostat opening reduces the flow of coolant entering the radiator, thereby reducing the engine's heat dissipation capacity. This approach can save vehicle power.

[0095] The engine cooling control method provided in the embodiment of the present application controls the speed of the water pump in the cooling circuit to be less than a preset speed threshold when the thermostat opening is not fully open, and specifically adjusts the opening of the thermostat according to the target water temperature and the current water temperature. This method can take into account power consumption and improve the efficiency and accuracy of the regulation on the engine cooling circuit.

[0096] In some embodiments, determining the opening of a thermostat in a cooling circuit of the engine and a target water temperature in the cooling circuit based on the operating information includes:

[0097] Determining the opening of a thermostat on a cooling circuit of the engine according to a first preset correspondence; wherein the first preset correspondence includes: a mapping between the operating information and the opening of the thermostat;

[0098] The target water temperature on the cooling circuit is determined according to the operating information and a second preset corresponding relationship; wherein the second preset corresponding relationship includes: a mapping between the operating information and the target water temperature.

[0099] In the embodiment of the present application, as previously described, the engine operating information may include engine speed, engine torque, and engine intake air temperature. The vehicle can determine the thermostat opening based on this operating information and a first preset correspondence. The first preset correspondence may include a mapping relationship between one or more of engine speed, engine torque, and engine intake air temperature and the thermostat opening.

[0100] FIG3 illustrates an exemplary mapping relationship between engine operating information and thermostat opening in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG3 , n represents the engine speed, T represents the engine torque, and e represents the thermostat opening. In this embodiment of the present application, the first preset mapping relationship may include the mapping between engine speed, engine torque, and thermostat opening shown in FIG3 . As shown in FIG3 , when the engine speed n is less than a speed threshold and the engine torque T is less than a first torque threshold, the thermostat opening e is 0, indicating a partially open state. When the engine torque T is greater than a second torque threshold, the thermostat opening e is 1, indicating a fully open state.

[0101] In an embodiment of the present application, the vehicle can determine the target water temperature in the cooling circuit through the engine operating information and the second preset correspondence, wherein the second preset correspondence may include a mapping between one or more of the engine speed, engine torque, and engine intake temperature and the target water temperature in the cooling circuit.

[0102] In the embodiment of the present application, the first preset correspondence relationship and the second preset correspondence relationship can be obtained by testing in an experimental environment, wherein the first preset correspondence relationship of different engines may be different, and in addition, the second preset correspondence relationship of different engines may also be different.

[0103] In an embodiment of the present application, the vehicle can determine the thermostat opening through the above-mentioned engine operating information and the first preset relationship, and determine the target water temperature in the cooling circuit through the above-mentioned engine operating information and the second preset corresponding relationship. The solution is simple and effective.

[0104] FIG4 is a flowchart illustrating an engine cooling control method according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG4 , the method includes the following steps:

[0105] S21. Obtain engine speed, engine torque, and intake air temperature.

[0106] S22. Get the current water temperature.

[0107] In the embodiment of the present application, n is the engine speed, T is the engine torque, t_in is the intake air temperature, and t is the current water temperature in the engine cooling circuit.

[0108] S23. Determine the target water temperature.

[0109] In an embodiment of the present application, taking T0 as the target water temperature in the engine cooling circuit as an example, the target water temperature T0 can be determined based on the engine speed n, the engine torque T, the intake temperature t_in and a second preset correspondence, wherein the second preset correspondence includes: a mapping between the engine speed n, the engine torque T and the intake temperature t_in and the target water temperature T0.

[0110] S24: Determine whether the opening of the thermostat is 0. If so, execute step S25; if not, execute step S26.

[0111] In an embodiment of the present application, e is taken as the thermostat opening, and the thermostat opening e can be determined based on the engine speed n, the engine torque T, the intake air temperature t_in, and a first preset correspondence, wherein the first preset correspondence includes: a mapping between the engine speed n, the engine torque T, the intake air temperature t_in and the thermostat opening e, wherein the thermostat opening e is 0, indicating that the thermostat opening is not fully open; and 1, indicating that the thermostat opening is fully open.

[0112] S25. Determine whether the target water temperature is lower than the current water temperature. If so, execute step S28; if not, execute step S27.

[0113] In the embodiment of the present application, based on the thermostat opening e being 0, when the target water temperature T0 is less than the current water temperature t, step S28 is executed; when the target water temperature T0 is not less than the current water temperature t, step S27 is executed.

[0114] S26: Determine whether the target water temperature is lower than the current water temperature. If so, execute step S30; if not, execute step S29.

[0115] In the embodiment of the present application, based on the thermostat opening e being 1, when the target water temperature T0 is less than the current water temperature t, step S30 is executed; when the target water temperature T0 is not less than the current water temperature t, step S29 is executed.

[0116] S27, control the water pump to the minimum speed.

[0117] S28, control the water pump to the minimum speed.

[0118] In the embodiment of the present application, n_ewp is the water pump speed on the cooling circuit. In response to the thermostat opening e being 0, the vehicle controls the water pump speed n_ewp on the cooling circuit to be less than a preset speed threshold, for example, the minimum speed n_ewp_min.

[0119] S29, control the water pump speed to remain unchanged.

[0120] In an embodiment of the present application, in response to the thermostat opening e being 1 and the target water temperature T0 being not less than the current water temperature t, the vehicle controls the speed n_ewp of the water pump in the cooling circuit to remain unchanged, thereby reducing the reliability risk of engine cooling caused by the instantaneous reduction in the water pump speed.

[0121] S30: The thermostat opening is maintained at 1.

[0122] In the embodiment of the present application, in response to the thermostat opening e being 1 and the target water temperature T0 being less than the current water temperature t, the vehicle controls the thermostat opening e to remain fully open.

[0123] S31. Reduce the thermostat opening.

[0124] In an embodiment of the present application, in response to the thermostat opening e being 0 and the target water temperature T0 being not less than the current water temperature t, the vehicle controls the speed n_ewp of the water pump on the cooling circuit to the minimum speed n_ewp_min while reducing the thermostat opening e, thereby saving the vehicle's power consumption.

[0125] S32: Increase the thermostat opening.

[0126] In an embodiment of the present application, in response to the thermostat opening e being 0 and the target water temperature T0 being less than the current water temperature t, the vehicle controls the speed n_ewp of the water pump on the cooling circuit to the minimum speed n_ewp_min while increasing the thermostat opening e, thereby improving the heat dissipation capacity of the engine.

[0127] S33. Reduce the thermostat opening.

[0128] In the embodiment of the present application, in response to the thermostat opening e being 1 and the target water temperature T0 being not less than the current water temperature t, the vehicle controls the speed n_ewp of the water pump on the cooling circuit to remain unchanged while reducing the thermostat opening e.

[0129] S34. Increase the water pump speed.

[0130] In an embodiment of the present application, in response to the thermostat opening e being 1 and the target water temperature T0 being less than the current water temperature t, the vehicle controls the thermostat opening e to remain fully open while increasing the water pump speed n_ewp, which can effectively and quickly cool the engine.

[0131] S35: Determine whether the target water temperature is equal to the current water temperature. If so, end the operation; if not, return to step S31.

[0132] S36: Determine whether the target water temperature is equal to the current water temperature. If so, end the operation; if not, return to step S32.

[0133] S37: Determine whether the target water temperature is equal to the current water temperature. If so, end the operation; if not, return to step S33.

[0134] S38: Determine whether the target water temperature is equal to the current water temperature. If so, end the operation; if not, return to step S34.

[0135] In the embodiment of the present application, when the target water temperature T0 is equal to the current water temperature t, it means that the engine cooling requirements are met. Therefore, at this time, there is no need to further adjust the cooling control method by adjusting the thermostat opening e and\or the water pump speed n_ewp.

[0136] In an embodiment of the present application, the vehicle uses the target water temperature in the cooling circuit and the opening of the thermostat as the target for closed-loop control of engine cooling, and specifically controls the speed of the water pump and the opening of the thermostat in the cooling circuit. This can reduce the impact of differences in heat dissipation under different operating conditions and improve the universality of various operating conditions. At the same time, using the target water temperature as the target can also improve the thermal efficiency of the engine and maximize the contribution of the cooling system to the economy of the engine. Targeted control of the water pump and thermostat can improve the efficiency and accuracy of regulation.

[0137] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of an engine cooling control device provided in an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG5 , the engine cooling control device includes:

[0138] A first acquisition module 101 is configured to acquire engine operation information;

[0139] A second acquisition module 102 is configured to determine an opening of a thermostat on a cooling circuit of the engine and a target water temperature on the cooling circuit according to the operating information;

[0140] The control module 103 is configured to control the engine cooling according to the target water temperature in the cooling circuit and the opening of the thermostat.

[0141] In some embodiments, the apparatus further comprises:

[0142] A third acquisition module 104 is configured to acquire a current water temperature on a cooling circuit of the engine;

[0143] The control module 103 is further configured to control the cooling of the engine according to the target water temperature of the cooling circuit, the current water temperature of the cooling circuit, and the opening of the thermostat.

[0144] In some embodiments, the control module 103 is further configured to increase the speed of the water pump on the cooling circuit in response to the thermostat opening being fully open and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being less than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit; and to reduce the thermostat opening in response to the thermostat opening being fully open and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being greater than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit.

[0145] In some embodiments, the control module 103 is further configured to control the speed of the water pump on the cooling circuit to be less than a preset speed threshold in response to the opening of the thermostat being indicated as not fully open, and to control the opening of the thermostat according to the target water temperature and the current water temperature.

[0146] In some embodiments, the control module 103 is further configured to increase the thermostat opening in response to the thermostat opening being not fully open and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being less than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit; and decrease the thermostat opening in response to the thermostat opening being not fully open and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being greater than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit.

[0147] In some embodiments, the second acquisition module 102 is further configured to determine the opening of the thermostat on the cooling circuit of the engine based on a first preset correspondence; wherein the first preset correspondence includes: a mapping between the operating information and the opening of the thermostat; and determine the target water temperature on the cooling circuit based on the operating information and the second preset correspondence; wherein the second preset correspondence includes: a mapping between the operating information and the target water temperature.

[0148] In some embodiments, the operating information includes engine speed, engine torque, and intake air temperature of the engine.

[0149] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a hardware entity of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in FIG6 , the hardware entity of the vehicle 800 includes a processor 801, a communication interface 802, and a memory 803. The processor 801 generally controls the overall operation of the electronic device 800. The communication interface 802 enables the electronic device to communicate with other terminals or servers via a network.

[0150] The memory 803 is configured to store instructions and applications executable by the processor 801. It can also cache data to be processed or processed by the processor 801 and various modules in the electronic device 800 (e.g., image data, audio data, voice communication data, and video communication data). This can be implemented using flash memory (FLASH) or random access memory (RAM). Data can be transmitted between the processor 801, the communication interface 802, and the memory 803 via a bus 804. The processor 801 is used to execute some or all of the steps in the above-mentioned vehicle operation control method.

[0151] Correspondingly, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium on which a computer program is stored. When the computer program is executed by a processor, some or all of the steps in the above method are implemented.

[0152] It should be noted that the description of the above storage medium and device embodiments is similar to the description of the above method embodiments and has similar beneficial effects as the method embodiments. For technical details not disclosed in the storage medium and device embodiments of this application, please refer to the description of the method embodiments of this disclosure for understanding.

[0153] The “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” mentioned throughout the specification means that the specific features, structures or characteristics related to the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment of the present application. Therefore, “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” appearing throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, these specific features, structures or characteristics can be combined in one or more embodiments in any suitable manner. It should be understood that in the various embodiments of the present application, the size of the serial numbers of the above-mentioned processes does not mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of the present application. The above-mentioned serial numbers of the embodiments of the present application are for description only and do not represent the advantages and disadvantages of the embodiments.

[0154] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprises," "includes," or any other variations thereof are intended to encompass non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus comprising the element.

[0155] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely schematic. For example, the division of the units is merely a logical function division. In actual implementation, there may be other division methods, such as: multiple units or components can be combined, or can be integrated into another system, or some features can be ignored or not executed. In addition, the coupling, direct coupling, or communication connection between the components shown or discussed can be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection of the devices or units can be electrical, mechanical or other forms.

[0156] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units; they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units; some or all of the units may be selected according to actual needs to achieve the purpose of the scheme of this embodiment.

[0157] In addition, all functional units in the embodiments of the present application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can be a separate unit, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit; the above-mentioned integrated units can be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of hardware plus software functional units.

[0158] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of implementing the above-mentioned method embodiment can be completed by hardware related to program instructions, and the aforementioned program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the program is executed, it executes the steps of the above-mentioned method embodiment; and the aforementioned storage medium includes: mobile storage devices, read-only memories (ROM), magnetic disks or optical disks, and other media that can store program codes.

[0159] Alternatively, if the above-mentioned integrated unit of the present application is implemented in the form of a software function module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present application, or the part that contributes to the relevant technology, can be embodied in the form of a software product. The computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes a number of instructions for enabling a computer device (which can be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the methods described in each embodiment of the present application. The aforementioned storage medium includes: various media that can store program codes, such as mobile storage devices, ROMs, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0160] The above is merely an embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling engine cooling, wherein: The method comprises: Get the engine's operating information; Determining, based on the operating information, an opening of a thermostat on a cooling circuit of the engine and a target water temperature on the cooling circuit; The engine cooling is controlled according to a target water temperature on the cooling circuit and an opening of the thermostat.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The method further comprises: Obtaining a current water temperature on a cooling circuit of the engine; The controlling the cooling of the engine according to the target water temperature on the cooling circuit and the opening of the thermostat comprises: The engine cooling is controlled according to the target water temperature on the cooling circuit, the current water temperature on the cooling circuit, and the opening of the thermostat.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The controlling the cooling of the engine according to the target water temperature on the cooling circuit, the current water temperature on the cooling circuit and the opening of the thermostat comprises: In response to the opening of the thermostat being fully open and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being less than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit, increasing the rotation speed of the water pump on the cooling circuit; In response to the opening of the thermostat indicating full open and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being greater than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit, the thermostat opening is reduced.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The controlling the cooling of the engine according to the target water temperature on the cooling circuit, the current water temperature on the cooling circuit and the opening of the thermostat comprises: In response to the opening of the thermostat being indicated as not fully open, the speed of the water pump on the cooling circuit is controlled to be less than a preset speed threshold, and the opening of the thermostat is controlled according to the target water temperature and the current water temperature.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein: The step of controlling the opening of the thermostat according to the target water temperature and the current water temperature includes: In response to the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being less than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit, increasing the thermostat opening; In response to the target water temperature on the cooling circuit being greater than the current water temperature on the cooling circuit, the thermostat opening is reduced.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Determining the opening of the thermostat on the cooling circuit of the engine and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit according to the operating information includes: Determining the opening of the thermostat on the cooling circuit of the engine according to a first preset correspondence; wherein the first preset correspondence includes: a mapping between the operating information and the opening of the thermostat; The target water temperature on the cooling circuit is determined according to the operating information and a second preset corresponding relationship; wherein the second preset corresponding relationship includes: a mapping between the operating information and the target water temperature.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The operating information includes: engine speed, engine torque, and intake air temperature of the engine.

8. A control device for engine cooling, wherein: The device comprises: A first acquisition module is configured to acquire operation information of the engine; A second acquisition module is configured to determine the opening of the thermostat on the cooling circuit of the engine and the target water temperature on the cooling circuit according to the operation information; The control module is configured to control the cooling of the engine according to the target water temperature on the cooling circuit and the opening of the thermostat.

9. A vehicle, wherein: The vehicle comprises: processor; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; The processor is configured to execute the method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein: When the computer program is executed by a processor, the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is implemented.

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