Radiator Cooling Control Using Fan-Pump Power Gradients
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid-to-air heat exchangers in vehicles consume excessive power due to coolant and fan speed being controlled independently without optimizing for the most efficient heat transfer method, leading to inefficient cooling.
Innovation Solution
A method to determine and adjust fan and pump speeds based on gradients of heat transfer rate to power, prioritizing the device with the higher gradient for speed adjustments to minimize power consumption and optimize cooling performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fan speed or pump speed is increased to improve heat transfer rate, then cooling performance is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts fan and pump speeds based on real-time heat transfer requirements by calculating gradients (dQ/dP) for each component. The control strategy transitions from static high-speed operation to dynamic adaptive speed control, selecting the optimal component to speed up based on which provides better cooling efficiency per unit power consumed at the current operating condition.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the control parameter from simple on/off or fixed-speed control to gradient-based adaptive control. By computing the heat transfer to power ratio (dQ/dP) for both fan and pump at each moment, the system identifies which parameter adjustment (fan speed or pump speed) will yield the most efficient cooling improvement, thereby optimizing the operating parameters dynamically.
2Productivity
If coolant flow is increased to ensure sufficient cooling at demanding conditions, then heat transfer rate is improved, but power consumption is higher than necessary at most operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of maintaining excessive coolant flow at all operating conditions, the system applies partial action by adjusting pump speed only when and where needed. The gradient calculation determines whether increasing pump speed or fan speed provides better cooling efficiency, allowing the system to use minimal necessary pump power rather than continuously excessive flow.
3Temperature
If pump speed is increased to improve coolant flow, then heat transfer rate increases, but power consumption increases more than necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring operating conditions and calculating the heat transfer to power gradient for both fan and pump. This feedback mechanism allows the system to learn from current performance and adjust speeds optimally, avoiding the energy waste of indiscriminately increasing pump speed and instead selecting the more efficient control action based on real-time system state.
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 approach minimizes energy usage by selectively increasing or decreasing fan and pump speeds based on heat transfer demands, ensuring efficient cooling while reducing overall power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a fan forcing air past the radiator
Implementation Method 2
the water pump that causes engine coolant to circulate through the engine and radiator
Implementation Method 3
liquid-to-air heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for controlling cooling an engine involve an engine coolant circuit with a radiator and an engine, a fan and a coolant pump are provided. The fan and pump may be electrically driven, driven by a variable speed clutch, hydraulically driven, or driven by some other actively controllable means. When an increase in heat transfer rate is indicated, the fan speed or the coolant pump speed may be increased. The choice of increasing the fan speed or increasing the pump speed is determined so that the power consumed is minimized. dQ/dP, the gradient in heat transfer rate to power, is determined for both the fan and the pump at the present operating condition. The one with the higher gradient is the one that is commanded to increase speed.