Energy control systems and methods for a powertrain of a vehicle

• US 9,238,995 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Issued: 01/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Gonze, Eugene V., Smith, Stuart R., Stanek, Jennifer M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Hieu T
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANLEY, SHERMAN D
• Application Number:
  US13/673,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20140136075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/164 by varying pump speed
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/167 by adjusting the pre-set temperature according to engine parameters, e.g. engine load, engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A system includes a mode module and an energy module. The mode module generates a mode signal based on a temperature of an engine and at least one of a deceleration signal and a regenerative braking signal. The energy module, based on the mode signal, increases cooling of a coolant of the engine during at least one of a deceleration event of a vehicle and a regenerative braking event. The energy module, while increasing the cooling of the coolant, supplies an overvoltage to a cooling pump of the engine.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a mode module that generates a mode signal based on a temperature of an engine and at least one of a deceleration signal and a regenerative braking signal; and

an energy module that, based on the mode signal, increases cooling of a coolant of the engine during at least one of a deceleration event of a vehicle and a regenerative braking event,

wherein the energy module, while increasing the cooling of the coolant, supplies an overvoltage to a cooling pump of the engine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy module, while increasing the cooling of the coolant, maximizes a cooling rate of the coolant including generating a fan signal indicating operation of a cooling fan in a full ON state.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy module, while increasing the cooling of the coolant, maximizes a cooling rate of the coolant including generating a shutter signal indicating opening an air flow shutter of a radiator to a fully open position.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the overvoltage is a voltage greater than a predetermined voltage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the overvoltage is a voltage greater than a rated operating voltage of the cooling pump.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the overvoltage is a voltage greater than a maximum operating voltage of the cooling pump used during non-deceleration events and non-regenerative braking events.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature is one of a coolant temperature and an oil temperature.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the mode module generates the mode signal based on the deceleration signal; and

the deceleration signal indicates deceleration of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the mode module generates the mode signal based on the deceleration signal; and

the deceleration signal indicates a deceleration fuel cutoff event.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a regenerative braking module that generates the regenerative braking signal in response to engine braking,

wherein the mode module generates the mode signal based on the regenerative braking signal.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a regenerative braking module that generates the regenerative braking signal in response to wheel braking,

wherein the mode module generates the mode signal based on the regenerative braking signal.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy module:

operates the cooling pump in a fully ON state during the deceleration event; and

increases cooling of the coolant during an acceleration event, wherein the acceleration event occurs subsequent to the deceleration event.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the energy module:

at least one of decreases a speed of the cooling pump and disables the cooling pump during a first zero-acceleration event, wherein the deceleration event occurs subsequent to the first zero-acceleration event; and

at least one of decreases speed and disables the cooling pump during a second zero-acceleration event, wherein the second zero-acceleration event occurs subsequent to the deceleration event, wherein the acceleration event occurs subsequent to the second zero-acceleration event, and wherein the speed of the cooling pump

is greater during the acceleration event than during the second zero-acceleration event, and

is less during the acceleration event than during the deceleration event.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the mode module generates the mode signal based the deceleration signal and the regenerative braking signal; and

the energy module, based on the mode signal, increases the cooling of the coolant during the deceleration event of the vehicle and the regenerative braking event.

15. A method comprising:

generating a mode signal based on a temperature of an engine and at least one of a deceleration signal and a regenerative braking signal;

based on the mode signal, increasing cooling of a coolant of the engine during at least one of a deceleration event of a vehicle and a regenerative braking event; and

supplies an overvoltage to a cooling pump of the engine while increasing the cooling of the coolant.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, while increasing the cooling of the coolant, maximizing a cooling rate of the coolant including generating:

a fan signal indicating operation of a cooling fan in a full ON state; and

a shutter signal indicating opening an air flow shutter of a radiator to a fully open position.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the overvoltage a voltage greater than:

a predetermined voltage; and

a maximum operating voltage of the cooling pump used during non-deceleration events and non-regenerative braking events.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the deceleration signal indicates at least one of a deceleration of the vehicle and a deceleration fuel cutoff event.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating the regenerative braking signal in response to at least one of engine braking and wheel braking; and

generating the mode signal based on the regenerative braking signal.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating the mode signal based the deceleration signal and the regenerative braking signal; and

based on the mode signal, increasing the cooling of the coolant during the deceleration event of the vehicle and during the regenerative braking event.