Systems and methods for controlling a variable speed water pump

• US 10,119,453 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2016
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Inventors: Pyle, Tristan, Nevels, Rene M. P. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lathers, Kevin A
• Application Number:
  US15/216,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20160326942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00764 the input being a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed B60H1/00828, B60H1/00864 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00807 the input being a specific way of measuring or calculating an air or coolant temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00885 Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/08 from other radiator than main radiator
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/12 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/13 Ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/40 Oil temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/62 Load
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/045 for transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/06 Retarder
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/08 Cabin heater
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/20 Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine F01P3/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/16 by thermostatic control
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/164 by varying pump speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/20 by changing the driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/85 using variable-flow pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/02 Compressor control
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/025 by controlling speed
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/0253 : with variable speed
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/13 : Pump speed control
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/00 : Sensing or detecting of parameters; Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/00 : Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing an improved strategy for controlling a variable speed water pump in a vehicle. In some embodiments, more than one water pump speed function is calculated based on values obtained from vehicle sensors, and a controller chooses among the water pump speed function results to set a water pump speed. In some embodiments, the water pump speed is increased when driveline torque is greater than a threshold amount for an amount of time that varies based on the driveline torque. In some embodiments, ambient temperature is considered while determining whether the water pump should provide full coolant flow to an auxiliary coolant loop of a trailer.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a gear box cooler;

a variable speed pump configured to provide coolant flow to the gear box cooler; and

a pump controller configured to;

monitor an amount of driveline torque produced by the vehicle; and

in response to determining that the amount of driveline torque has exceeded a threshold amount of torque for at least a threshold amount of time, varying a speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the pump controller is further configured to determine the threshold amount of time based on the amount of driveline torque.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the threshold amount of time is a first value when the amount of driveline torque is above an activation torque threshold and below a lower torque threshold, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases between the lower torque threshold and an upper torque threshold, and wherein the threshold amount of time is a second value when the amount of driveline torque is above the upper torque threshold.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the monitored amount of driveline torque is an absolute value of the amount of driveline torque produced by the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein varying the speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque includes using a hysteresis value to prevent pump cycling.

7. A method of controlling a speed of a variable-speed pump configured to provide coolant flow to a gear box cooler, the method comprising:

monitoring an amount of driveline torque produced by a vehicle; and

in response to determining that the amount of driveline torque has exceeded a threshold amount of torque for at least a threshold amount of time, varying a speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining the threshold amount of time based on the amount of driveline torque.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the threshold amount of time is a first value when the amount of driveline torque is above an activation torque threshold and below a lower torque threshold, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases between the lower torque threshold and an upper torque threshold, and wherein the threshold amount of time is a second value when the amount of driveline torque is above the upper torque threshold.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the monitored amount of driveline torque is an absolute value of the amount of driveline torque produced by the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein varying the speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque includes using a hysteresis value to prevent pump cycling.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a pump controller of a vehicle, cause the pump controller to perform actions to control a speed of a variable-speed pump configured to provide coolant flow to a gear box cooler of the vehicle, the actions comprising:

monitoring an amount of driveline torque produced by a vehicle; and

in response to determining that the amount of driveline torque has exceeded a threshold amount of torque for at least a threshold amount of time, varying a speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the actions further comprise determining the threshold amount of time based on the amount of driveline torque.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the threshold amount of time is a first value when the amount of driveline torque is above an activation torque threshold and below a lower torque threshold, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases between the lower torque threshold and an upper torque threshold, and wherein the threshold amount of time is a second value when the amount of driveline torque is above the upper torque threshold.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the monitored amount of driveline torque is an absolute value of the amount of driveline torque produced by the vehicle.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein varying the speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque includes using a hysteresis value to prevent pump cycling.