Systems and methods for controlling a variable speed water pump

• US 9,416,720 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PACCAR Incorporated
• Inventors: Nevels, Ren M. P. A., Pyle, Tristan
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman, Marc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Teitelbaum, David
• Application Number:
  US13/309,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20130142669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,720 Days
• Field of Search: 622/08, 123/41.01, 123/41.02
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00764 the input being a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed B60H1/00828, B60H1/00864 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00807 the input being a specific way of measuring or calculating an air or coolant temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00885 Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/08 from other radiator than main radiator
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/12 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/13 Ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/40 Oil temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/62 Load
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/045 for transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/06 Retarder
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/08 Cabin heater
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/20 Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine F01P3/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/16 by thermostatic control
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/164 by varying pump speed
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/20 by changing the driving speed
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/85 using variable-flow pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/02 Compressor control
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/025 by controlling speed
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/0253 : with variable speed
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/13 : Pump speed control
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2700/00 : Sensing or detecting of parameters; Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 49/00 : Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing an improved strategy for controlling a variable speed water pump in a vehicle. In some embodiments, more than one water pump speed function is calculated based on values obtained from vehicle sensors, and a controller chooses among the water pump speed function results to set a water pump speed. In some embodiments, the water pump speed is increased when driveline torque is greater than a threshold amount for an amount of time that varies based on the driveline torque. In some embodiments, ambient temperature is considered while determining whether the water pump should provide full coolant flow to an auxiliary coolant loop of a trailer.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a speed of a pump configured to provide coolant flow, the method comprising:

receiving a set of sensor values from a plurality of sensors;

executing at least a first speed control function, a second speed control function, a third speed control function, a fourth speed control function, a fifth speed control function, and a sixth speed control function to generate a set of speed control values associated with the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth speed control functions, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth speed control functions are each based on values from the set of sensor values, and wherein the set of speed control values includes more than one speed control value;

selecting a speed control value from the set of speed control values; and

causing the pump to operate at a speed according to the selected speed control value;

wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth speed control functions are executed and the set of speed control values, that includes more than one speed control value, is generated before selecting the speed control value from the set of speed control values;

wherein the first speed control function determines a speed control value based on a coolant temperature, an ambient temperature, an HVAC blower speed, and a heat request;

wherein the second speed control function determines a speed control value based on a driveline torque value;

wherein the third speed control function determines a speed control value based on a fuel temperature value;

wherein the fourth speed control function determines a speed control value based on a urea temperature value;

wherein the fifth speed control function determines a speed control value based on a gearbox oil temperature value; and

wherein the sixth speed control function determines a speed control value based on a retarder oil temperature value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a speed control value from the set of speed control values includes selecting a maximum speed control value from the set of speed control values.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing a seventh speed control function that compares an ambient temperature value to a low ambient temperature threshold and a high ambient temperature threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein executing the seventh speed control function includes:

determining whether the ambient temperature value is between the low ambient temperature threshold and the high ambient temperature threshold;

in response to determining that the ambient temperature value is between the low ambient temperature threshold and the high ambient temperature threshold, returning a first speed control value as a result of the seventh speed control function; and

in response to determining that the ambient temperature value is not between the low ambient temperature threshold and the high ambient temperature threshold, returning a second speed control value different from the first speed control value as the result of the seventh speed control function.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of sensor values include the driveline torque value, and wherein the second speed control function determines whether the driveline torque value has been greater than a threshold torque value for a predetermined amount of time.