SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ENGINE COOLING FAN

• US 20150176469A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Kis, Michael J., Boom, Derek R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,567,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/105 Using two or more pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/026 Thermostatic control
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/048 using electrical drives
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0456 Air cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0475 the intake air cooler being combined with another device, e.g. heater, valve, compressor, filter or EGR cooler, or being assembled on a special engine location
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0493 Controlling the air charge temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/1038 for temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A system and method of operating a cooling system for a vehicle engine, wherein one or more motors are operable to rotate one or more fans. Each of the one or more motors is controlled by a motor controller associated with the motor, in response to a control signal received from a system controller and an enable signal received from the vehicle. The motor controller operates the motor at a speed based upon the control signal if the control signal is received, and operates the motor at a predetermined speed if the control signal is not received but the enable signal is received.

Claims

1. A method of operating a cooling system for a vehicle engine, the cooling system including a motor operable to rotate a fan, the method comprising:

determining if a control signal has been received;

operating the motor to rotate the fan at a first speed if the control signal has been received, the first speed based on the control signal; and

operating the motor to rotate the fan at a second speed if the control signal has not been received.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if an enable signal from a vehicle ignition system has been received and operating the motor to rotate the fan at the second speed based on the enable signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first speed is equal to the second speed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

operating a second motor to rotate a second fan at a third speed if the control signal has been received, the third speed based on the control signal; and

operating the second motor to rotate the second fan at the second speed if the control signal has not been received.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising waiting a predetermined time period after determining if the control signal has been received and not receiving the control signal, before operating the motor to rotate the fan at the second speed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving one or more sensed characteristics of at least one of the vehicle engine and the cooling system, wherein the control signal is based at least in part on the one or more sensed characteristics.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control signal is a pulse-width modulated signal.

8. A method of operating a cooling system for a vehicle engine, the cooling system including a motor operable to rotate a fan, the method comprising:

determining if a control signal has been received;

operating the motor to rotate the fan at a first speed if the control signal has been received, the first speed based on the control signal;

determining if an enable signal from a source separate from the source of the control signal has been received; and

operating the motor to rotate the fan at a second speed if the enable signal has been received and the control signal has not been received.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first speed is equal to the second speed.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the enable signal is received from a vehicle ignition system.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising waiting a predetermined time period after determining if the control signal has been received and not receiving the control signal, before operating the motor to rotate the fan at the second speed.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving one or more sensed characteristics of at least one of the vehicle engine and the cooling system, wherein the control signal is based at least in part on the one or more sensed characteristics.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the control signal is a pulse-width modulated signal.

14. A cooling system for a vehicle engine, the cooling system powered by a power source, the cooling system comprising:

a heat exchanger;

a system controller;

a motor;

a fan driven by the motor; and

a motor controller electrically connected to the system controller, the power source, and the motor, the motor controller configured to

receive power from the power source,

receive an enable signal from the vehicle, and

receive a control signal from the system controller,

wherein upon receiving the control signal, the motor controller operates the motor at a first speed based on the control signal; and

wherein upon not receiving the control signal but receiving the enable signal, the motor controller operates the motor at a second speed.

15. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein the enable signal is received from an ignition system of the vehicle.

16. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein the motor, the fan, and the motor controller are one of a plurality of motors, fans, and motor controllers, each of the plurality of motor controller individually receiving a control signal from the system controller and an enable signal from the vehicle.

17. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein the motor waits a predetermined period of time before operating at the second speed.

18. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein the system controller receives a sensed characteristic of at least one of the cooling system and the vehicle engine, the control signal based at least in part on the sensed characteristic.

19. The cooling system of claim 14, wherein the first speed is equal to the second speed.

20. The cooling system of claim 18, wherein the sensed characteristic is a temperature.