Vehicle Cooling Circuit Priming to Prevent Pump Airlocks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern vehicles face challenges with air entering coolant circuits due to insufficient coolant levels, leading to reduced efficiency, potential component damage, and the need for manual deaeration, which is time-consuming and requires professional intervention.

Innovation Solution

A method and control arrangement for a cooling system with a first coolant circuit that includes a conduit portion below the pump inlet, utilizing a primer conduit from a second coolant circuit to supply coolant before initiating the first coolant pump, thereby avoiding airlocks and enabling vertical flexibility in pump placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the coolant pump is arranged at a low position to enable gravity-fed coolant supply, then the pump inlet is reliably fed with coolant, but the assembly complexity and routing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoolant supply reliabilityVSAvoidcoolant circuit routing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by filling the coolant circuit with coolant before assembling the pump into its final position. The circuit is pre-filled through a filling point, ensuring the pump inlet is already supplied with coolant when the pump is installed, thereby eliminating the need for complex gravity-based routing while maintaining reliable coolant supply.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If manual deaeration is performed to remove air from the coolant circuit, then airlocks are eliminated and cooling efficiency is maintained, but time consumption and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoolant circuit efficiencyVSAvoiddeaeration time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by designing the coolant circuit with a filling point that allows the system to automatically fill and deaerate itself during the coolant filling process. The air is naturally displaced as coolant fills the circuit, eliminating the need for manual deaeration operations while maintaining cooling efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of manufacture

If the coolant circuit is pre-filled with coolant before pump assembly, then assembly complexity is reduced and routing flexibility increases, but the risk of air entering the circuit during operation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly easeVSAvoidair entry risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-filling the coolant circuit with coolant before the pump is assembled into its operating position. This ensures that when the pump is installed and started, the circuit is already filled and airlocks are prevented, thereby reducing assembly complexity while simultaneously eliminating the risk of air entry during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If a primer conduit is used to supply coolant to the pump inlet, then vertical flexibility in pump placement is achieved and assembly is simplified, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepump placement flexibilityVSAvoidconduit system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing the primer conduit as a multi-functional element that serves both as a coolant supply line and as a filling point for the coolant circuit. This single conduit enables vertical flexibility in pump placement while avoiding the need for separate filling mechanisms, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite the added adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach reduces the need for manual deaeration, lowers assembly and operational costs, and minimizes component damage by ensuring adequate coolant supply, facilitating efficient coolant routing and reducing vehicle standstills.

Implementation Method 1

the conduit portion is arranged below the pump inlet of the first coolant pump as seen relative to a local gravity vector

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS12584435B2Method of operating a cooling system, computer program, computer-readable medium, control arrangement, cooling system, and vehicle

Publication Date: 2026.03.24 SCANIA CV AB

AI summary

A method of operating a cooling system of a vehicle is disclosed. The cooling system comprises a first and a second coolant circuit. The first coolant circuit comprises a first coolant pump, a conduit section connected to a pump inlet of the first coolant pump, a primer conduit, a filling point, and a conduit portion located between the filling point and the pump inlet, wherein the conduit portion is arranged below the pump inlet. The method comprises the steps of initiating a supply of coolant from the second coolant circuit to the conduit section via the primer conduit during standstill of the first coolant pump, and then initiating operation of the first coolant pump. The present disclosure further relates to a computer program, a computer-readable medium, a control arrangement, a cooling system, and a vehicle.