Cooling Valve Control via Magnetic Pre-positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing cooling liquid circulation devices for internal combustion engines face issues with swiftly changing the open-closed states of control valves due to residual magnetization, leading to incomplete valve operation and inefficient cooling liquid circulation when the pump is resumed, especially when the flow momentum is insufficient to overcome the spring and magnetic forces.
Innovation Solution
A cooling liquid circulation device equipped with an electronic control unit that manages the energization of control valves and the pump operation to perform opening-closing force-feed control, ensuring the valve bodies are displaced correctly by adjusting the flow rate and magnetic forces, allowing for swift and accurate state changes of control valves without waiting for the normal pump control conditions to be met.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pump operation is temporarily stopped to close control valves, then the valve bodies can be reliably seated by spring force, but the cooling liquid circulation is interrupted and the response time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnet is energized before the pump is stopped to pre-position the valve body in the closed state. This preliminary action ensures that when the pump restarts, the valve body is already in the desired position and can quickly overcome residual magnetization and spring force, eliminating the need to wait for pump stoppage to achieve valve closure.
Solution Approach 2:
The electromagnet generates a magnetic force that counteracts the spring force and flow momentum in advance. By applying this preliminary anti-action force, the valve body is held in the closed position even when the pump restarts and cooling liquid flow begins, preventing unintended valve opening during the transition period.
2Reliability
If the coil is energized to hold the valve body closed, then the valve remains securely seated, but residual magnetization prevents the valve from opening when the coil is de-energized
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnet is energized in periodic cycles rather than continuously. It is activated only when valve closure is required, held for a predetermined period to ensure reliable seating, then de-energized. This periodic operation allows residual magnetization to dissipate completely between cycles, enabling the valve to open responsive to spring force and flow momentum when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The residual magnetization, which initially appears as a harmful effect preventing valve opening, is converted into a beneficial holding force. By timing the electromagnet de-energization appropriately, the residual magnetization helps maintain valve closure during pump transitions, and then naturally dissipates to allow opening, turning the potential problem into a reliable closure mechanism.
3Speed
If the pump flow rate is increased to quickly open control valves, then the flow momentum can overcome spring and magnetic forces, but the system consumes more power and creates water hammer effects
Solution Approach 1:
The electromagnet is energized in advance to position the valve body in the closed state before pump operation changes. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for high flow rates to force the valve open, as the valve is already in the desired position when cooling liquid flow begins, allowing gentle, energy-efficient operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The electromagnetic force is used to replace the mechanical approach of using high pump flow rate to open the valve. Instead of relying on high momentum flow to overcome spring and magnetic forces, the system uses controlled electromagnet de-energization combined with normal pump operation, substituting electromagnetic control for mechanical force and eliminating water hammer effects.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple control valves are provided in parallel cooling liquid passages, then each passage can be independently controlled, but coordinating the operation of multiple valves becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic control unit implements a universal control algorithm that manages all control valves using the same predetermined timing logic. Each valve follows the same operational pattern: electromagnet energization for closure, predetermined waiting period for residual magnetization dissipation, then pump resumption for opening. This universal approach simplifies coordination of multiple valves despite their parallel independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The control functions of multiple independent valves are merged into a single centralized electronic control unit. Instead of separate control mechanisms for each valve, the ECU coordinates all valves through unified timing and sequencing logic, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining independent control capability for each cooling liquid passage.
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 enables swift and accurate switching of control valves to their desired states, ensuring efficient cooling liquid circulation and preventing unnecessary power consumption by optimizing the flow rate and magnetic forces, thus enhancing the overall performance and efficiency of the cooling system.
Implementation Method 1
The electromagnet has a core and a winding (a coil), and generates a magnetic force for suctioning the valve body in the valve-closing direction through energization of the coil
Implementation Method 2
each of the control valves includes a valve body, a spring member and an electromagnet. The valve body is configured to be urged in a valve-opening direction by a flow momentum of cooling liquid. The spring member is configured to constantly urge the valve body in a valve-closing direction
Implementation Method 3
The valve body is configured to be urged in a valve-opening direction by a flow momentum of cooling liquid
Implementation Method 4
a pump that force-feeds cooling liquid in the cooling liquid passages at a variable flow rate
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
In changing over each of liquid shutoff valves (26, 27) from an open-valve state to a closed-valve state, this device seats a valve body with the aid of an urging force of a spring by stopping the operation of a pump (17), changes over an energization state of a coil of at least one of the liquid shutoff valves (26, 27) which is changed over to the closed-valve state from a state where the coil is not energized to a state where the coil is energized, and then resumes the operation of the pump (17). Upon detecting the start of operation of the pump (17), a valve control unit (35b) causes a pump control unit (35a) to perform opening-closing force-feed control. In opening-closing force-feed control, an amount of the cooling liquid force-fed by the pump (17) is set to an amount within such a range that the valve body of at least one of the liquid shutoff valves (26, 27) whose coil is energized is not displaced in a valve-opening direction while the valve body of at least one of the liquid shutoff valves (26, 27) whose coil is not energized is displaced in the valve-opening direction.