Electric Water Pump Control for Intercooler Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water-cooled intercooler systems for internal combustion engines inefficiently drive electric pumps, leading to increased power consumption and decreased fuel economy, as the pump operates regardless of engine state, wasting energy and degrading fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A cooling control system that uses a generator to power the electric water pump during decelerating fuel-cut operations, optimizing pump usage by adjusting duty ratios based on intake air temperature thresholds, reducing unnecessary pump operation and enhancing fuel economy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the electric pump is continuously driven to maintain target intake air temperature, then the cooling performance is ensured, but the power consumption increases and fuel economy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pump control means dynamically adjusts the electric pump's operation based on real-time engine operating conditions. The control strategy switches between different pump drive modes (first drive mode for fuel economy, second drive mode for rapid cooling) according to engine load, temperature deviations, and operating states, making the system adaptive rather than static
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control parameters of the electric pump based on engine operating state. When in the first drive mode, the pump operates at reduced capacity or intermittent duty cycles to save energy. When switching to the second drive mode, full cooling capacity is restored. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between continuous cooling and energy conservation
2Reliability
If the electric pump is driven at high capacity to ensure cooling performance, then the intake air temperature is controlled, but the fuel economy is degraded due to excessive power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The pump control means applies partial cooling action when full cooling capacity is not required. In the first drive mode, the electric pump operates at partial capacity or intermittent duty cycles, providing just enough cooling to maintain acceptable intake air temperature while significantly reducing power consumption. This partial action approach maintains sufficient cooling reliability without excessive energy loss
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic duty cycle control for the electric pump in the first drive mode, switching the pump on and off periodically rather than continuous operation. This periodic action maintains average cooling performance while reducing overall power consumption and energy loss
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
The system efficiently drives the electric pump using regenerative energy during decelerating fuel-cut operations, lowering intake air temperature and minimizing power consumption during non-decelerating operations, thereby improving fuel economy while maintaining effective cooling.
Implementation Method 1
electrical power is generated by a generator 10 using the engine 3 as a motive power source
Implementation Method 2
a water-cooled intercooler 7 that cools the intake air supercharged by the supercharger, by using coolant circulating through a cooling circuit
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of efficiently driving an electric water pump, thereby improving fuel economy as much as possible while properly performing cooling of supercharged intake air by an intercooler. The engine to which the present invention is applied includes a turbocharger for supercharging intake air and is configured such that electrical power is generated by a generator using the engine as a motive power source, during a decelerating fuel-cut operation in which fuel supply is stopped. The cooling control system of the present invention includes the intercooler of water-cooled type which cools the intake air supercharged by the turbocharger by using coolant circulating through an intake air cooling circuit and an electric pump for circulating the coolant through the intake air cooling circuit, and drives the electric pump during the decelerating fuel-cut operation.