Cooling apparatus

• US 20100071637A1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Eizou, Shintani, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 8,281,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/41.20
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/028 Deaeration devices
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/046 with electrical pump drive
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/125 Driving auxiliary pumps electrically
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/32 Engine outcoming fluid temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/70 Level
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/08 Cabin heater
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/165 characterised by systems with two or more loops

Abstract

A cooling apparatus that cools with coolant a subject of cooling, which is a heat source. The cooling apparatus includes a cooling circuit, an electric pump, a switching section, and a control section. Through circulation of the coolant, air in the cooing circuit is caused to flow to an air bleeding portion and is discharged from the cooling circuit through the air bleeding portion. The switching section is capable of switching the operation mode of the electric pump between a normal mode and an air bleeding mode for collecting air in the cooling circuit to the air bleeding portion. During the air bleeding mode, the control section is capable of controlling the electric pump to change a coolant displacement from the electric pump according to a change pattern that allows stagnant air in sections of the cooling circuit to flow to the air bleeding portion.

Claims

1. A cooling apparatus for cooling a subject of cooling, which is a heat source, with coolant, the apparatus comprising:

a cooling circuit that contains the coolant and passes through the subject of cooling, the cooling circuit having an air bleeding portion;

an electric pump being operated to circulate the coolant within the cooling circuit, wherein air in the cooling circuit is caused to flow to the air bleeding portion through circulation of the coolant and is discharged from the cooling circuit through the air bleeding portion;

a switching section that is capable of switching the operation mode of the electric pump between a normal mode and an air bleeding mode for collecting air in the cooling circuit to the air bleeding portion; and

a control section, wherein, during the air bleeding mode, the control section is capable of controlling the electric pump to change a coolant displacement from the electric pump according to a change pattern that allows stagnant air in sections of the cooling circuit to flow to the air bleeding portion.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cooling section controls the electric pump such that the displacement of the electric pump increases as the temperature of the coolant after cooling the subject of cooling increases.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the control of the electric pump performed by the control section includes low temperature control and high temperature control, wherein, in the low temperature control and high temperature control, the electric pump is operated such that the displacement of the electric pump is constant relative to temperature changes of the coolant after cooling the subject of cooling,

wherein, when the coolant is in a low temperature range, the control section performs the low temperature control such that the displacement of the electric pump is maintained at a first preset value, and

wherein, when the coolant is in a high temperature range, which is a higher temperature range than the low temperature range, the control section performs the high temperature control such that the displacement of the electric pump is maintained at a second preset value, which is greater than the first preset value.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a heat exchanger provided in the cooling circuit, wherein the second preset value is a value at which stagnant air in the heat exchanger is permitted to flow.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising;

a heat exchanger that cools the coolant through heat exchange between the coolant in the cooling circuit and outside air; and

a fan that blows air onto the heat exchanger,

wherein the fan is operated when the temperature of the coolant after cooling the subject of cooling is equal to or higher than an operation starting temperature, and is stopped when the temperature of the coolant is equal to or lower than an operation stopping temperature, which is lower than the operation starting temperature, and

wherein the operation starting temperature is within the high temperature range, and the operation stopping temperature is within the low temperature range.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control section controls the electric pump such that the displacement of the electric pump changes in accordance with the elapsed time.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control section increases or decreases the displacement of the electric pump each time a predetermined period has elapsed, and wherein, within each of the predetermined period, the control section controls the electric pump such that the displacement of the electric pump is constant relative to elapsed time.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a heat exchanger provided in the cooling circuit, wherein a maximum value of the displacement of the electric pump, which is constant relative to the elapsed time, is set to a value at which stagnant air in the heat exchanger is permitted to flow.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the subject of cooling is an engine mounted on a vehicle, a speed of the engine being changed in response to manipulation of an accelerator of the vehicle,

wherein the control section is capable of controlling the electric pump based on the engine speed such that the displacement of the electric pump increases as the engine speed increases,

wherein the control of the electric pump performed by the control section includes low engine speed control and high engine speed control, wherein, in the low engine speed control and high engine speed control, the electric pump is operated such that the displacement of the electric pump is constant relative to changes in the engine speed,

wherein, when the engine speed is in a low engine speed range that includes an idle speed, the control section performs the low engine speed control such that the displacement of the electric pump is maintained at a third preset value, and

wherein, when the engine speed is in a high engine speed range, which is a higher engine speed range than the low engine speed range and includes an engine speed in a state where an engine racing operation is performed through manipulation of the accelerator, the control section performs the high engine speed control such that the displacement of the electric pump is maintained at a fourth preset value, which is greater than the third preset value.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a heat exchanger provided in the cooling circuit, wherein the fourth preset value is a value at which stagnant air in the heat exchanger is permitted to flow.