Coolant control systems and methods to prevent over temperature

• US 10,450,940 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Scavone, Luca, Russiello, Luigi, Torres Cuadros, Andrea Lorena, Kanev, Andrei Gheorghi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dallo, Joseph J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Yi-Kai
• Application Number:
  US15/493,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20180306097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 123 411
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/027 Cooling cylinders and cylinder heads in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2007/146 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/31 Cylinder temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/33 Cylinder head temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/02 Arrangements for cooling cylinders or cylinder heads
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/16 by thermostatic control

Abstract

A coolant control system of a vehicle includes an opening module configured to determine a coolant valve (CV) opening, a flow control valve (FCV) opening, and a block valve (BV) opening based on at least one of a block temperature difference, a head temperature difference, and a coolant outlet temperature difference. A CV control module is configured to selectively actuate a CV based on the CV opening. The CV regulates coolant flow from the FCV to a radiator and a coolant channel bypassing the radiator. A BV control module is configured to selectively actuate a BV based on the BV opening. The BV regulates coolant flow from the engine block to the FCV. A FCV control module is configured to selectively actuate a FCV based on the FCV opening. The FCV regulates coolant flow from the cylinder head and the BV to the CV.

Claims

1. A coolant control system of a vehicle, comprising:

a difference module configured to;

determine a block temperature difference based on a difference between a reference block temperature and a block temperature of an engine block measured using a block temperature sensor;

determine a head temperature difference based on a difference between a reference head temperature and a head temperature of a cylinder head of the engine measured using a head temperature sensor; and

determine a coolant outlet temperature difference based on a difference between a reference coolant outlet temperature and a temperature of coolant output from at least one of the engine block and the cylinder head measured using a coolant outlet temperature sensor;

an opening module configured to determine a coolant valve (CV) opening for a CV, a flow control valve (FCV) opening for a FCV, and a block valve (BV) opening for a BV based on at least one of the block temperature difference, the head temperature difference, and the coolant outlet temperature difference;

a CV control module configured to selectively actuate the CV based on the CV opening, wherein the CV regulates coolant flow from the FCV to (i) a radiator and (ii) a coolant channel bypassing the radiator before the coolant flows back the engine;

a BV control module configured to selectively actuate the BV based on the BV opening, wherein the BV regulates coolant flow from the engine block to the FCV; and

a FCV control module configured to selectively actuate the FCV based on the FCV opening, wherein the FCV regulates coolant flow from the cylinder head and the BV to the CV.

2. The coolant control system of claim 1 wherein the opening module is configured to:

based on the block temperature difference, determine a first possible CV opening, a first possible FCV opening, and a first possible BV opening;

based on the head temperature difference, determine a second possible CV opening, a second possible FCV opening, and a second possible BV opening;

based on the coolant outlet temperature difference, determine a third possible CV opening, a third possible FCV opening, and a third possible BV opening;

set the CV opening for the CV to a maximum one of the first, second, and third possible CV openings;

set the FCV opening for the FCV to a maximum one of the first, second, and third possible FCV openings; and

set the BV opening for the BV to a maximum one of the first, second, and third possible BV openings.

3. The coolant control system of claim 2 wherein the opening module is configured to increase the first possible CV opening, the first possible FCV opening, and the first possible BV opening as the block temperature becomes increasingly greater than the reference block temperature.

4. The coolant control system of claim 2 wherein the opening module is configured to increase the second possible CV opening, the second possible FCV opening, and the second possible BV opening as the head temperature becomes increasingly greater than the reference head temperature.

5. The coolant control system of claim 2 wherein the opening module is configured to increase the third possible CV opening, the third possible FCV opening, and the third possible BV opening as the coolant output temperature becomes increasingly greater than the reference coolant outlet temperature.

6. The coolant control system of claim 1 wherein:

the CV control module is configured to increase an opening of the CV to the radiator as the CV opening increases;

the BV control module is configured to increase an opening of the BV as the BV opening increases; and

the FCV control module is configured to increase an opening of the FCV as the FCV opening increases.

7. The coolant control system of claim 6 wherein the CV control module is further configured to decrease a second opening of the CV to the coolant channel bypassing the radiator as the CV opening increases.

8. The coolant control system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first maximum module configured to set a CV opening command to a maximum one of;

(i) the CV opening; and

a second CV opening,

wherein the CV control module is configured to actuate the CV based on the CV opening command;

a second maximum module configured to set a FCV opening command to a maximum one of;

(i) the FCV opening; and

a second FCV opening,

wherein the FCV control module is configured to actuate the FCV based on the FCV opening command; and

a third maximum module configured to set a BV opening command to a maximum one of;

(i) the BV opening; and

a second BV opening,

wherein the BV control module is configured to actuate the BV based on the BV opening command.

9. The coolant control system of claim 1 further comprising a reference module configured to at least one of:

determine the reference block temperature based on an engine speed of the engine and a fueling amount of the engine;

determine the reference head temperature based on the engine speed and the fueling amount; and

determine the reference coolant outlet temperature based on the engine speed and the fueling amount.

10. The coolant control system of claim 9 wherein the reference module is configured to:

determine the reference block temperature based on an engine speed of the engine and a fueling amount of the engine;

determine the reference head temperature based on the engine speed and the fueling amount; and

determine the reference coolant outlet temperature based on the engine speed and the fueling amount.

11. A coolant control method of a vehicle, comprising:

determining a block temperature difference based on a difference between a reference block temperature and a block temperature of an engine block measured using a block temperature sensor;

determining a head temperature difference based on a difference between a reference head temperature and a head temperature of a cylinder head of the engine measured using a head temperature sensor;

determining a coolant outlet temperature difference based on a difference between a reference coolant outlet temperature and a temperature of coolant output from at least one of the engine block and the cylinder head measured using a coolant outlet temperature sensor;

determining a coolant valve (CV) opening for a CV, a flow control valve (FCV) opening for a FCV, and a block valve (BV) opening for a BV based on at least one of the block temperature difference, the head temperature difference, and the coolant outlet temperature difference;

selectively actuating the CV based on the CV opening, wherein the CV regulates coolant flow from the FCV to (i) a radiator and (ii) a coolant channel bypassing the radiator before the coolant flows back the engine;

selectively actuating the BV based on the BV opening, wherein the BV regulates coolant flow from the engine block to the FCV; and

selectively actuating the FCV based on the FCV opening, wherein the FCV regulates coolant flow from the cylinder head and the BV to the CV.

12. The coolant control method of claim 11 wherein determining the coolant valve CV opening for the CV, the FCV opening for the FCV, and the BV opening for the BV includes:

based on the block temperature difference, determining a first possible CV opening, a first possible FCV opening, and a first possible BV opening;

based on the head temperature difference, determining a second possible CV opening, a second possible FCV opening, and a second possible BV opening;

based on the coolant outlet temperature difference, determining a third possible CV opening, a third possible FCV opening, and a third possible BV opening;

setting the CV opening for the CV to a maximum one of the first, second, and third possible CV openings;

setting the FCV opening for the FCV to a maximum one of the first, second, and third possible FCV openings; and

setting the BV opening for the BV to a maximum one of the first, second, and third possible BV openings.

13. The coolant control method of claim 12 wherein determining the first possible CV opening, the first possible FCV opening, and the first possible BV opening includes increasing the first possible CV opening, the first possible FCV opening, and the first possible BV opening as the block temperature becomes increasingly greater than the reference block temperature.

14. The coolant control method of claim 12 wherein determining the second possible CV opening, the second possible FCV opening, and the second possible BV opening includes increasing the second possible CV opening, the second possible FCV opening, and the second possible BV opening as the head temperature becomes increasingly greater than the reference head temperature.

15. The coolant control method of claim 12 wherein determining the third possible CV opening, the third possible FCV opening, and the third possible BV opening includes increasing the third possible CV opening, the third possible FCV opening, and the third possible BV opening as the coolant output temperature becomes increasingly greater than the reference coolant outlet temperature.

16. The coolant control method of claim 11 wherein:

selectively actuating the CV includes increasing an opening of the CV to the radiator as the CV opening increases;

selectively actuating the BV includes increasing an opening of the BV as the BV opening increases; and

selectively actuating the FCV includes increasing an opening of the FCV as the FCV opening increases.

17. The coolant control method of claim 16 selectively actuating the CV further decreasing a second opening of the CV to the coolant channel bypassing the radiator as the CV opening increases.

18. The coolant control method of claim 11 further comprising:

setting a CV opening command to a maximum one of;

(i) the CV opening; and

a second CV opening,

wherein selectively actuating the CV includes actuating the CV based on the CV opening command;

setting a FCV opening command to a maximum one of;

(i) the FCV opening; and

a second FCV opening,

wherein selectively actuating the FCV includes actuating the FCV based on the FCV opening command; and

setting a BV opening command to a maximum one of;

(i) the BV opening; and

a second BV opening,

wherein selectively actuating the BV includes actuating the BV based on the BV opening command.

19. The coolant control method of claim 11 further comprising at least one of:

determining the reference block temperature based on an engine speed of the engine and a fueling amount of the engine;

determining the reference head temperature based on the engine speed and the fueling amount; and

determining the reference coolant outlet temperature based on the engine speed and the fueling amount.

20. The coolant control method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining the reference block temperature based on an engine speed of the engine and a fueling amount of the engine;

determining the reference head temperature based on the engine speed and the fueling amount; and

determining the reference coolant outlet temperature based on the engine speed and the fueling amount.