Predictive auxiliary load management (PALM) control apparatus and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle comprising:
- an engine;
a vehicle engine cooling system for receiving and circulating liquid coolant to cool the engine;
a vehicle fan operable to assist the cooling of liquid coolant circulating in the vehicle engine cooling system;
the vehicle engine cooling system comprising a coolant pump operable to circulate liquid coolant within the vehicle engine cooling system with the quantity of coolant being circulated being variable and responsive to coolant pump control signals, the the vehicle engine cooling system also comprising a thermostat operable to control the flow of coolant being circulated by the coolant pump through the cooling system, with the extent that the thermostat is open to permit the flow of coolant in the cooling system being variable and responsive to thermostat control signals; and
a controller operable to receive vehicle parameter information and to determine prediction horizons, the controller being operable to determine the coolant pump and thermostat control signals predictively for a prediction horizon so as to minimize at least one of the following;
(a) energy consumed by the coolant pump;
(b) variations in coolant temperature; and
(c) fan activation as the vehicle travels along a route that corresponds to the prediction horizon.
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Abstract
An improved vehicle cooling system is disclosed having the capability of controlling various thermal components of the system to effectively control the heating and cooling of an engine of the vehicle based on instantaneous vehicle and ambient conditions and also based upon predictive conditions. These predictive conditions can include information about the upcoming terrain of the route along which the vehicle will travel.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A vehicle comprising:
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an engine; a vehicle engine cooling system for receiving and circulating liquid coolant to cool the engine; a vehicle fan operable to assist the cooling of liquid coolant circulating in the vehicle engine cooling system; the vehicle engine cooling system comprising a coolant pump operable to circulate liquid coolant within the vehicle engine cooling system with the quantity of coolant being circulated being variable and responsive to coolant pump control signals, the the vehicle engine cooling system also comprising a thermostat operable to control the flow of coolant being circulated by the coolant pump through the cooling system, with the extent that the thermostat is open to permit the flow of coolant in the cooling system being variable and responsive to thermostat control signals; and a controller operable to receive vehicle parameter information and to determine prediction horizons, the controller being operable to determine the coolant pump and thermostat control signals predictively for a prediction horizon so as to minimize at least one of the following;
(a) energy consumed by the coolant pump;
(b) variations in coolant temperature; and
(c) fan activation as the vehicle travels along a route that corresponds to the prediction horizon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operating a vehicle coolant system comprising:
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determining a prediction horizon for which elevation information is known; and determining coolant pump and thermostat control signals as a function of the prediction horizon for use in controlling a coolant pump of the coolant system and a thermostat of the coolant system as the vehicle travels along a route that follows the prediction horizon, the coolant pump and thermostat control signals being determined so as to minimize at least one of the following;
(a) energy consumed by the coolant pump;
(b) variations in coolant temperature; and
(c) fan activation. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification