Vehicle Thermal Management Control via Sub-Loop Decomposition

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Solution Overview

Problem

The complexity of vehicle thermal management systems (TMS) with multiple actuators leads to difficulty and time consumption in developing control algorithms for various actuator modes.

Innovation Solution

Decompose the TMS into sub-loops, determine properties and assign identifiers, develop control algorithms for each sub-loop, and combine them to form a control strategy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the TMS includes multiple actuators to provide comprehensive thermal management, then the thermal management capability is improved, but the number of actuator modes increases leading to increased system complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal management capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the complex TMS into multiple sub-loops, each with its own control algorithm. This decomposition reduces the overall system complexity by breaking down the control of 150+ actuator modes into manageable sub-loop controls, while maintaining comprehensive thermal management capability through coordinated sub-loop operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the TMS includes multiple actuators to provide comprehensive thermal management, then the thermal management capability is improved, but the time to develop control algorithms increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal management capabilityVSAvoidcontrol algorithm development time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the TMS into sub-loops with independent control algorithms, the patent enables parallel development and calibration of control strategies. This reduces the overall development time compared to creating a single comprehensive control algorithm for all actuators, while still achieving comprehensive thermal management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary decomposition of the TMS into sub-loops and identifies thermal functions before developing control algorithms. This preliminary structuring enables more efficient algorithm development by establishing a framework that guides subsequent control strategy creation, reducing overall development time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12479267B2Method of developing a control strategy for a vehicle thermal management system, and vehicle thermal management system

Publication Date: 2025.11.25 FCA US LLC

AI summary

A method of developing a control strategy for a thermal management system. The method includes decomposing a thermal management circuit defined by a plurality of secondary circuits that are each in fluid communication with each other into a plurality of sub-loops, the fluid communication between each of the secondary circuits and thermal management of the thermal management circuit being controlled by a plurality of actuators; determining at least one global thermal function associated with the thermal management circuit; after determining the at least one global thermal function associated with the thermal management circuit, determining an actuator mode capable of achieving the at least one global thermal function wherein the actuator mode is a collection of states of each of the plurality of actuators in the thermal management circuit; and forming at least one control algorithm for the thermal management circuit based on the actuator mode.