Engine Cooling Fan Clutch Control for Smooth Speed Regulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing engine cooling systems with electronically controlled fluid-type fan clutches face challenges in controlling the speed of the cooling fan, leading to increased power consumption, reduced fuel efficiency, and decreased hill climbing ability due to full-engagement and sudden changes in fan speed.

Innovation Solution

An engine cooling control apparatus that classifies control regions based on coolant temperature using proportional integral (PI) control, adjusts fan rotation speed, and outputs a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to minimize unnecessary fan operations, improving fuel efficiency and hill climbing ability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the electronically controlled fluid-type fan clutch is fully-engaged to reach target speed, then the cooling fan speed is maintained at target temperature, but power consumption increases and fuel economy decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoolant temperature controlVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The fan clutch engagement state is dynamically adjusted based on coolant temperature and vehicle operating conditions. The control unit calculates optimal engagement states (fully engaged, partially engaged, or disengaged) by comparing current temperature with target temperature, allowing the system to transition between different engagement levels rather than maintaining a fixed fully-engaged state, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption while maintaining temperature control reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the engagement parameter of the fan clutch based on operating conditions. By monitoring coolant temperature, vehicle speed, and engine load, the control unit adjusts the engagement state parameter to optimize the balance between cooling effectiveness and power consumption, reducing fuel economy loss while maintaining reliable temperature control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If the fan clutch is pull-engaged to reduce power consumption, then fuel economy improves, but the fan clutch maintains engagement without disengaging for considerable time and fluid escapes making it difficult to control intermediate speed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefuel economyVSAvoidintermediate speed control

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit continuously monitors coolant temperature, fan clutch engagement state, and vehicle operating conditions to provide feedback for optimal control. By comparing actual temperature with target temperature and adjusting engagement state accordingly, the system can precisely control intermediate speeds and prevent fluid escape issues while maintaining improved fuel economy, eliminating the difficulty in controlling intermediate fan speeds

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the fan clutch is fully-engaged for considerable period of time, then target temperature is maintained, but noise increases due to large change in fan speed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetarget temperature maintenanceVSAvoidnoise

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements periodic adjustment of fan clutch engagement state based on coolant temperature fluctuations and operating conditions. Rather than maintaining continuous full engagement, the control unit periodically adjusts engagement levels to match actual cooling needs, reducing large speed changes and associated noise while maintaining reliable target temperature through controlled periodic engagement cycles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The fan clutch engagement is dynamically adjusted in real-time based on temperature feedback and operating conditions. The control unit calculates optimal engagement states by comparing current temperature with target temperature, enabling smooth transitions between engagement levels that reduce noise from sudden speed changes while maintaining reliable temperature control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Temperature

If the cooling fan operates at high speed continuously, then cooling effectiveness is maintained, but acceleration and hill climbing ability decrease due to power loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidacceleration capability

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies partial engagement of the fan clutch rather than continuous full engagement. By providing just enough cooling power to maintain target temperature through calculated partial engagement states, the system reduces power loss to the fan while maintaining adequate cooling effectiveness, thereby preserving acceleration and hill climbing capability without sacrificing necessary cooling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11499469B2Apparatus for controlling engine cooling of a vehicle, a system having the same and a method thereof

Publication Date: 2022.11.15 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

An engine cooling control apparatus, a system including the same, and a method thereof provide an engine cooling control apparatus including a processor configured to calculate a required fan rotation speed for controlling a cooling fan based on proportional integral (PI) control and a storage configured to store data acquired by the processor and an algorithm for driving the processor. The processor classifies a plurality of control regions depending on a coolant temperature and adjusts and outputs the required fan rotation speed for each of the control regions.