Engine cooling system and method for engine cooling

• US 8,931,440 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2012
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mahrs, Johan Fredrick, Schmidt, Kyle E., Zhang, John Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Low, Lindsay
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRAUCH, CHARLES JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US13/559,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20140026831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 123/41.05, 361/103
• US Class Current: 123/41.05
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/13 Ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/42 Intake manifold temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/62 Load
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2031/36 Failure of coolant pump
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/04 by varying pump speed, e.g. by changing pump-drive gear ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/10 by throttling amount of air flowing through liquid-to-air heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0431 Details or means to guide the ambient air to the heat exchanger, e.g. having a fan, flaps, a bypass or a special location in the engine compartment
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

Various methods and systems are provided for adjusting the speed of a cooling system fan. In one example, a method includes adjusting a speed of a cooling system fan based on ambient temperature, engine output, and a desired engine temperature.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

adjusting air flow provided by a first fan to an air-to-air intercooler to maintain a desired manifold air temperature and to maintain an expected fan speed of the first fan for a given ambient temperature and gross horsepower; and

if a measured fan speed of the first fan is different from the expected fan speed of the first fan by greater than a threshold amount, indicating cooling system degradation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a desired engine coolant inlet temperature by adjusting air flow provided by a second fan to an air-to-coolant radiator.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the air flow provided by the second fan is further adjusted based on an expected speed of the second fan at the ambient temperature and gross horsepower.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising if cooling system degradation is indicated, reducing engine speed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a position of a cooling system fan shutter based on the ambient temperature and the gross horsepower.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a position of a cooling system fan shutter based on the ambient temperature.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a position of a cooling system fan shutter based on the gross horsepower.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting air flow provided by the first fan to maintain the desired manifold air temperature comprises adjusting speed of the first fan based on the desired manifold air temperature as compared to actual manifold air temperature, independent of and in addition to adjusting a speed of the first fan to maintain the expected speed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting air flow provided by the first fan to maintain the desired manifold air temperature comprises adjusting speed of the first fan based on the desired manifold air temperature as compared to actual manifold air temperature, in addition to adjusting speed of the first fan to maintain the expected speed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting air flow provided by the first fan to maintain the desired manifold air temperature comprises adjusting speed of the first fan.

11. A cooling system, comprising:

an air-to-air intercooler for adjusting temperature of engine intake air;

an air-to-coolant radiator for adjusting temperature of engine coolant;

a first fan to provide air flow to the air-to-air intercooler;

a second fan to provide air flow to the air-to-coolant radiator; and

a controller having instructions for;

adjusting air flow provided by the first fan to the air-to-air intercooler to maintain a desired manifold air temperature and to maintain an expected fan speed of the first fan for a given ambient temperature and gross horsepower; and

if a measured fan speed of the first fan is different from the expected fan speed of the first fan by greater than a threshold amount, indicating cooling system degradation.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller includes instructions for maintaining a desired engine coolant inlet temperature by adjusting air flow provided by the second fan to the air-to-coolant radiator.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller includes instructions for further adjusting the air flow provided by the second fan based on an expected speed of the second fan at the ambient temperature and gross horsepower.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller includes instructions for, if cooling system degradation is indicated, reducing engine speed.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller includes instructions for, if cooling system degradation is indicated, reducing engine load.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a fan shutter, and wherein the controller includes instructions for adjusting a position of the fan shutter based on the ambient temperature and the gross horsepower.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller includes instructions to adjust the air flow provided by the first fan by adjusting speed of the first fan.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller includes instructions for adjusting speed of the first fan based on the desired manifold air temperature as compared to actual manifold air temperature, in addition to adjusting speed of the first fan to maintain the expected fan speed.