Cooling System Control Device for Engine Warm-Up
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for internal combustion engines experience a temporal drop in cooling water temperature during warm-up, leading to slowed engine warm-up, deteriorated fuel economy, and uncomfortable cabin conditions due to intermittent cooling water supply.
Innovation Solution
A control device for the cooling system that gradually increases the distribution rate of cooling water to specific passages over a predetermined time, temporarily stopping the increase to prevent a drop in temperature, using a flow channel switching valve and water pump to manage the flow distribution among multiple cooling water passages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cooling water is intermittently supplied to flow through the cooling water passage in the engine main body just after switching of the flow channels, then the warm-up process is accelerated, but the cooling water temperature temporarily drops, slowing down the warm-up and deteriorating fuel economy and exhaust gas properties
Solution Approach 1:
The control device preliminarily increases the distribution rate of cooling water to the cooling water passage just before actually switching the flow channels. This preliminary action ensures that the cooling water passage is already receiving adequate flow, so when the switching occurs, the temperature does not temporarily drop, thus maintaining both warm-up speed and temperature stability.
2Productivity
If cooling water flow channels are switched to supply cooling water to the heater core, then air heating performance is improved, but the temperature of conditioned air temporarily drops, making occupants feel uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The control device preliminarily increases the distribution rate of cooling water to the heater core before switching the flow channels. This ensures that the heater core receives sufficient cooling water flow in advance, so when the flow channel switching occurs, the conditioned air temperature does not temporarily drop, maintaining cabin comfort while improving air heating performance.
3Temperature
If the distribution rate of cooling water is rapidly increased to the cooling water passage, then the cooling water temperature stabilizes faster, but a temporal drop in temperature occurs during the transition
Solution Approach 1:
The control device preliminarily increases the distribution rate of cooling water before the actual switching occurs. By doing so, the system avoids the temporal drop in temperature that would otherwise happen during transition, while still achieving fast temperature stabilization through the subsequent flow channel switching.
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 solution effectively curbs the temporal drop in cooling water temperature, enhancing engine warm-up efficiency, fuel economy, and cabin comfort by maintaining consistent heating performance.
Implementation Method 1
controls a flow channel switching valve for switching between a plurality of cooling water passages to sequentially change at least one of the cooling water passages to which cooling water is distributed
Implementation Method 2
gradually increases, over a predetermined time to a target value, a distribution rate of the cooling water to the cooling water passage to which the distribution of the cooling water is just started
Implementation Method 3
capable of preventing a temporal drop in the temperature of cooling water during the warm-up of the internal combustion engine
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system of an internal combustion engine includes a flow channel switching valve for sequentially switching between a plurality of cooling water passages so as to distribute cooling water to at least one cooling water passage. When a control device for the cooling system switches between the cooling water passages by controlling the flow channel switching valve in accordance with the progress of warm-up of the internal combustion engine, the control device suppresses the distribution rate of the cooling water to the cooling water passage to which the distribution of the cooling water is just started.