Engine Thermal Management Valve Control via Differential Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current engine control technologies face challenges in efficiently managing coolant flow rates across integrated thermal management systems in gasoline engines, leading to suboptimal fuel efficiency and potential excessive loads on valve stem parts due to differential pressure imbalances.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that utilize a controller to adjust the opening degrees of radiator, block, and heater valves based on differential pressure thresholds, determined by engine RPM and ITM angle, to manage coolant flow rates and prevent excessive pressure, incorporating a storage system for differential pressure tables to guide valve operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the opening degree of valves in the integrated thermal management system is increased to improve coolant flow distribution, then fuel efficiency is improved, but excessive differential pressure is generated between front and rear ends of valves causing excessive loads on valve stem parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of valve opening degrees by the controller based on real-time differential pressure feedback. The ITM angle (valve opening degree) is adjusted dynamically according to the measured differential pressure between front and rear ends of valves, rather than using fixed opening degrees. This dynamic adjustment optimizes coolant flow distribution for fuel efficiency while preventing excessive differential pressure that would cause valve stem part failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a feedback mechanism where the differential pressure between front and rear ends of valves is measured and fed back to the controller. The controller uses this feedback information to adjust the ITM angle and thereby control the valve opening degree. This closed-loop feedback system ensures that fuel efficiency is optimized through improved coolant flow distribution while maintaining differential pressure within safe limits to prevent valve stem part damage.
2Reliability
If the opening degree of valves is controlled to manage coolant flow rates, then fuel efficiency and system endurance are improved, but complex control mechanisms are required to determine optimal opening degrees based on multiple parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes predetermined relationships between differential pressure values and optimal ITM angles (valve opening degrees) through prior analysis and experimentation. The controller has pre-programmed control logic that maps measured differential pressure values to appropriate valve opening adjustments. This preliminary preparation of control strategies simplifies the real-time control process while ensuring optimal fuel efficiency and system endurance without requiring overly complex control mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for controlling an engine and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes an integrated thermal management (ITM) that adjusts opening of a plurality of valves as a cam rotates and a storage that stores a table for differential pressure between a front end and a rear end of each of the plurality of valves, based on an engine revolution per minute (RPM) and an ITM angle. A controller determines a state of the ITM and adjusts opening degrees of the plurality of valves depending on the differential pressure of the valve, based on the differential pressure table based on the state of the ITM.