VAPORIZATION REDUCTION CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20090151660A1
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Zamora, Mario Miguel, Turley, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/41.120
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2001/005 Cooling engine rooms
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/12 Arrangements for cooling other engine or machine parts
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/08 by cutting in or out of pumps

Abstract

A system for controlling a fan in a vehicle comprises an ambient temperature module that generates an ambient temperature enable signal when ambient temperature is within a vaporization window. An engine component monitoring module that generates a vaporization temperature enable signal when an engine component in an engine compartment has an estimated outer surface temperature that greater than a water vaporization temperature. A vehicle speed module generates a speed enable signal when the vehicle speed is less than a first vehicle speed. A fan turn-on module that selectively turns on a fan based on the temperature enable signal, the vaporization temperature enable signal and the speed enable signal.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a fan in a vehicle comprising:

an ambient temperature module that generates an ambient temperature enable signal when ambient temperature is within a vaporization window;

an engine component monitoring module that generates a vaporization temperature enable signal when an engine component in an engine compartment has an estimated outer surface temperature that greater than a water vaporization temperature; and

a fan turn-on module that selectively turns on a fan based on the temperature enable signal and the vaporization temperature enable signal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the engine component monitoring module comprises an air-conditioning (AC) pressure monitoring module that generates the vaporization temperature enable signal when AC pressure is greater than a first pressure and less than a second pressure.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the fan turn-on module additionally turns on the fan when the AC pressure is greater than the second pressure.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the engine component monitoring module comprises an engine coolant module that generates the vaporization temperature enable signal when an engine coolant temperature is greater than a first temperature and less than a second temperature.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the fan turn-on module additionally turns on the fan when the engine coolant temperature is greater than the second temperature.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a vehicle speed module that generates a speed enable signal when the vehicle speed is less than a first vehicle speed.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein a lower temperature of the vaporization window is approximately 0°

Celsius and an upper temperature of the vaporization window is approximately 10°

Celsius.

8. The system of claim 2 wherein the first pressure is approximately 800 kPa and the second pressure is approximately 1300 kPa.

9. The system of claim 4 wherein the first temperature is approximately 93°

Celsius and the second temperature is approximately 102°

Celsius.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the first vehicle speed is approximately 8 kph.

11. A method for controlling a fan in a vehicle comprising:

generating an ambient temperature enable signal when ambient temperature is within a vaporization window;

generating a vaporization temperature enable signal when an engine component in an engine compartment has an outer surface temperature that greater than a water vaporization temperature; and

selectively turning on a fan based on the temperature enable signal and the vaporization temperature enable signal.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein generating a vaporization temperature enable signal comprises generating the vaporization temperature enable signal when AC pressure is greater than a first pressure and less than a second pressure.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising additionally turning on the fan when the AC pressure is greater than the second pressure.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein generating a vaporization temperature enable signal comprises generating the vaporization temperature enable signal when an engine coolant temperature is greater than a first temperature and less than a second temperature.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising additionally turning on the fan when the engine coolant temperature is greater than the second temperature.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating a speed enable signal when the vehicle speed is less than a first vehicle speed.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein a lower temperature of the vaporization window is approximately 0°

Celsius and an upper temperature of the vaporization window is approximately 10°

Celsius.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the first pressure is approximately 800 kPa and the second pressure is approximately 1300 kPa.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the first temperature is approximately 93°

Celsius and the second temperature is approximately 102°

Celsius.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the first vehicle speed is approximately 8 kph.