CHARGE AIR COOLING CONTROL FOR BOOSTED ENGINES TO ACTIVELY MAINTAIN TARGETED INTAKE MANIFOLD AIR TEMPERATURE

• US 20140251239A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Richards, Adam J., Rollinger, John Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,394,858 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/41.05
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0468 Water separation or drainage means
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0493 Controlling the air charge temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 31/205 Control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a charge air cooler fan or charge air cooler coolant pump and an engine cooling fan and/or vehicle grille shutters based on a target manifold charge air temperature. In one example, the grille shutter position and/or engine cooling fan speed may be adjusted based on a difference between a target manifold charge air temperature and a temperature of the charge air cooler cooling medium. Further, the charge air cooler fan speed or charge air cooler coolant pump speed may be adjusted based on a difference between a charge air cooler inlet charge air temperature and the target manifold charge air temperature.

Claims

1. An engine method, comprising:

adjusting one or more of a grille shutter position and an engine cooling fan speed based on a difference between a target manifold charge air temperature and a temperature of the charge air cooler cooling medium; and

adjusting a local charge air cooler cooling element based on a difference between a charge air cooler inlet charge air temperature and the target manifold charge air temperature.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting both the grille shutter position and the engine cooling fan speed based on the difference between the target manifold charge air temperature and the temperature of the charge air cooler cooling medium.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the charge air cooler is a water-to-air charge air cooler, the charge air cooler cooling medium is a coolant, and adjusting the local charge air cooler cooling element includes adjusting a coolant pump speed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting the coolant pump speed is further based on a mass air flow rate, a difference between a target coolant temperature and a charge air cooler inlet coolant temperature, and a difference between a measured manifold charge air temperature and the target manifold charge air temperature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the target coolant temperature is based on the target manifold charge air temperature with the target coolant temperature decreasing for decreasing target manifold charge air temperature.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting one or more of the grille shutter position and the engine cooling fan speed is further based on an ambient temperature.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the charge air cooler is an air-to-air charge air cooler, the charge air cooler cooling medium is under-hood air, and adjusting the local charge air cooler cooling element includes adjusting a charge air cooler fan.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein adjusting the charge air cooler fan is further based on a mass air flow rate, a difference between the target manifold charge air temperature and the temperature of the ambient air, and a difference between a measured manifold charge air temperature and the target manifold charge air temperature.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting one or more of the grille shutter position and the engine cooling fan speed is further based on vehicle speed, engine temperatures, and outside weather conditions.

10. An engine method, comprising:

adjusting one of a coolant pump speed or a charge air cooler fan speed based on a local cooling percentage, the local cooling percentage based on a difference between a charge air cooler inlet air temperature and a target manifold charge air temperature and a cooling capacity of the charge air cooler; and

adjusting a grille shutter position by a first amount and an engine cooling fan speed by a second amount, the first and second amounts based on an external cooling percentage and vehicle operating conditions, the external cooling percentage based on a difference between a target manifold charge air temperature and a temperature of the charge air cooler cooling medium.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the local cooling percentage is further based on a mass air flow and a difference between a measured manifold charge air temperature and the target manifold charge air temperature and wherein the local cooling percentage increases with increasing mass air flow and increasing difference between the measured manifold charge air temperature and the target manifold charge air temperature.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the external cooling percentage is further based on ambient temperature, the external cooling percentage decreasing with increasing ambient temperature.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the charge air cooler is a water-to-air charge air cooler and the cooling capacity is based on a difference between a target coolant temperature and a charge air cooler inlet coolant temperature.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining the coolant pump speed based on the estimated local cooling percentage and wherein the coolant pump speed increases for increasing local cooling percentage.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the temperature of the charge air cooler cooling medium is a charge air cooler inlet coolant temperature and wherein the external cooling percentage increases as the difference between the target manifold charge air temperature and the charge air cooler inlet coolant temperature decreases.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the charge air cooler is an air-to-air charge air cooler and the cooling capacity is based on a difference between the target manifold charge air temperature and ambient temperature.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining the charge air cooler fan speed based on the estimated cooling percentage and wherein the charge air cooler fan speed increases for increasing local cooling percentage.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the temperature of the charge air cooler cooling medium is under-hood air temperature and wherein the external cooling percentage decreases as the difference between the target manifold charge air temperature and the under-hood air temperature decreases.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining the first amount and the second amount based on one or more of a vehicle speed, engine temperatures, and outside weather conditions.

20. An engine system, comprising:

an engine including an intake manifold;

a compressor coupled to the intake manifold upstream of a throttle;

a water-to-air charge air cooler coupled downstream of the compressor;

a coolant pump coupled to a water side of the charge air cooler;

grille shutters positioned at a vehicle front end;

an engine cooling fan; and

a controller with computer readable instructions for adjusting one or more of an opening of the grille shutters and a speed of the engine cooling fan based on a difference between a target manifold charge air temperature and a charge air cooler inlet coolant temperature; and

adjusting a speed of the coolant pump based on a difference between a charge air cooler inlet air temperature and the target manifold charge air temperature, a difference between a target coolant temperature and the charge air cooler inlet coolant temperature, a mass air flow, and a difference between a measured manifold charge air temperature and the target manifold charge air temperature.