DE102007023407A1 - Motor vehicle with linearly controlled engine fan - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (1) with a water circuit (5, 6, 7) for cooling its internal combustion engine (2), wherein the water circuit comprises an electrically operated motor fan (5) and the motor fan is associated with a linear regulator (8) which thermally is coupled to the water cycle.

Description

The The invention relates to a motor vehicle, in particular a car, with an engine blower for cooling an internal combustion engine. The voltage of the motor blower is in this case by a cooled linear regulator regulated.

Of the Internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is driven by a water cycle cooled, to which a motor fan belongs. The engine fan becomes either electric when the engine is running or mechanically driven. When stopping the engine, there are As a rule, with the appropriate engine temperature, an overrun of the then electrically operated engine blower.

The Motor fan has an electric motor whose power usually adjustable in stages. In practice, the power regulation takes place with parallel or serial switches or relays. For vehicles The upper class also knows a stepless control with regulators based on pulse width modulation, the so-called PWM controllers. The PWM controllers thus work in the engine compartment with its often quite high temperatures.

The US 2003/0058617 A1 describes a linear controller for the speed control of the blower of an air conditioner in a car. Since the temperatures in the vehicle interior are generally much more moderate than in the engine compartment, it is sufficient for the US 2003/0058617 A1 in that the linear regulator is placed in the airflow of the air conditioning system for its cooling, for example close to the blower blades of the fan. Similar applications of the linear regulator for air conditioning systems also reveal the US 2005/02642253 as well as the EP 1475884 A2 ,

It is an object of an embodiment of the invention, a Motor vehicle with a continuously variable engine fan whose regulation provides good electromagnetic compatibility offers low costs.

The Solution to this problem is the characteristics of the independent Claims. Advantageous developments and further embodiments result with the features of the dependent claims.

In A first embodiment is a motor vehicle with a water circuit for cooling its internal combustion engine proposed. The water cycle includes an electrically powered engine fan, to which a linear regulator is assigned, d. h., the voltage of the motor fan is controlled by the linear regulator. The linear regulator is thermally connected to the Water cycle coupled.

The proposed solution allows thanks to the linear regulator a stepless control of the engine fan. Due to the stepless Controllability initially results in minimal noise minimal load on the battery. Opposite a scheme Relays result in greater reliability through fewer electrical connections, fewer cables and through the presence of overheating protection fewer failures at lower risk of fire. Also leads the use of a Linear regulator instead of relays reduced to about 50% Weight with at least 80% less space required with less than half the price. Furthermore, the installation costs fall lower and a diagnosis in case of failure can be realized.

Across from PWM controllers, the linear regulator has a much better electromagnetic Compatibility, since the former disadvantageously clocked at 20 kHz are. The PWM regulator therefore requires extensive measures to ensure electromagnetic compatibility, which makes the PWM controller a component that today three times as expensive as a linear regulator. The solution allowed For the first time a stepless control of the engine fan Small and mid-range vehicles at acceptable prices, requires but in return an intervention in the complex cooling system of the internal combustion engine by dissipating the power loss of the linear regulator to the water cycle.

In In a second embodiment, the linear regulator is in thermal contact with a water pipe of the water cycle. This allows a position in the design of the vehicle of the linear regulator close to the engine fan, to reduce the cabling overhead.

In a third embodiment, the water line has a Recess, in which the linear regulator or the linear regulator associated Cooling block is partially embedded. The water pipe exists For example, die-cast aluminum, in the recess of the Linear regulator or its cooling block taken in and accordingly is sealed. This thermally connects the linear regulator to the coolant coupled to the water cycle, which is more efficient than cooling over the medium air.

In In another embodiment, the linear regulator is in thermal contact with a cooler, the water cycle is assigned and includes the cooling liquid. The linear regulator can do this directly on the (water) radiator rest.

In a further embodiment, the linear regulator is arranged in the air flow of the engine blower. It is made so far air cooling, wherein the engagement in said water cooling circuit is minimal.

One Another aspect of the invention relates to a water cooler, formed for releasable connection with a linear regulator is, wherein the linear regulator of the control of the motor fan serves. The water cooler can be prepared insofar that the linear regulator is let into the water cooler or over a clip connection is attached with this. This will be the Mounting the components in the engine compartment easier, assembly time saved, the components can be arranged more compact and results This gives a greater freedom of development a new vehicle.

A Embodiment of the water cooler has a releasably connected to it linear regulator. At this Unit water cooler / linear regulator is the measure Pre-assembly even bigger and the achieved Price savings as well. The linear regulator can be on one of the lateral Coolant end tanks of the water cooler mounted become. Because of the lower temperatures of the coolant In this case, the coolant outlet-side end tank is preferred selected.

One Another aspect of the invention relates to a CRFM module with a Motor fan and a water cooler as described above. Again, results from the made functional integration less space required for the components in the engine compartment with a greater freedom of development a new vehicle.

Further Features and advantages of the claimed invention will be apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the attached Drawings recognizable below as non-limiting Examples are given. Here, the use of reference numerals in the figures not to be understood that the reference numerals limit the scope of the claimed invention should. Show it:

1 a motor vehicle in plan view;

2 a water cooler in the side view,

3 a water pipe for the water cycle with embedded linear regulator.

In the figures, which generally denote like objects with like reference numerals, shows 1 a motor vehicle 1 in the plan view. The car 1 owns an internal combustion engine 2 , in front of which the water cooler 3 and the climate condenser 4 are arranged. For the radiator after a shutdown of the motor vehicle 1 is a motor fan 5 intended.

water cooler 3 , Climate condenser 4 and engine blower 5 can be individual components for the separate cooling circuits, or components of a CRFM module (English: condenser radiator fan module) 6 be, as indicated by the dashed line. The CRFM module 6 cools the internal combustion engine 2 in a known way via the water pipe 7 with coolant.

In the water pipe 7 is a linear regulator 8th admitted. The linear regulator 8th is via an electrical line 9 with the CRFM module 6 connected and controls the fan or motor fan 5 continuously. As a result, with low cost and EMC compatible, the fan noise during caster and the load on the battery (not shown) is reduced to a minimum. This succeeds despite the sometimes high temperatures in the engine compartment with the linear regulator 8th , which can be sufficiently cooled by the cooling liquid in the water cycle.

2 shows a water cooler 3 , on a final tank 12 . 13 a linear regulator 8th is screwed. As the coolant enters 13 in 2 right and the coolant outlet 14 is right, this is due to the lower temperatures of the coolant outlet end tank 12 selected. The radiator has a dimension of the linear regulator 8th matched indentation (not shown) partially accommodating the linear regulator. The water cooler 3 can be part of the CRFM module 6 of the 2 be.

3 shows the water pipe 7 for the water cycle for the combustion engine 2 , This has a recess 10 into which the cooling block 11 of the linear regulator 8th is inserted so that it is directly flowed around by coolant of the water cycle.

Even though a concrete embodiment has been described above, The person skilled in the art will recognize that the description of this embodiment does not have the purpose to limit the invention in the form specified. Rather, the invention is intended to be all modifications, equivalents and include alternatives that are within the scope of the claimed claims Fall invention.

1

motor vehicle

2

internal combustion engine

3

water cooler

4

air-conditioning condenser

5

motor fan

6

CRFM module

7

water pipe

8th

linear regulators

9

management

10

recess

11

cooling block

12

final tank

13

Coolant inlet

14

coolant outlet

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list The documents listed by the applicant have been automated generated and is solely for better information recorded by the reader. The list is not part of the German Patent or utility model application. The DPMA takes over no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 2003/0058617 A1 [0004]
• - US 2005/02642253 [0004, 0004]
• EP 1475884 A2 [0004]

Claims (8)

Motor vehicle ( 1 ) with a water cycle ( 5 . 6 . 7 ) for cooling its internal combustion engine ( 2 ), wherein the water cycle is an electrically operated engine blower ( 5 ) and the motor fan a linear regulator ( 8th ), which is thermally coupled to the water cycle. Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, in which the linear regulator is in thermal contact with a water pipe ( 7 ) of the water cycle. Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the water pipe is a recess ( 10 ) into which the linear regulator or a cooling block assigned to the linear regulator ( 11 ) is partially embedded. Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, in which the linear regulator is in thermal contact with a water cooler ( 3 ), which is assigned to the water cycle. Motor vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the linear regulator in the air flow of the engine blower ( 5 ) is arranged. Water cooler ( 3 ) for a water circuit of a motor vehicle, designed for releasable connection to a linear regulator ( 8th ) for controlling a motor blower ( 5 ). A water cooler according to claim 6, comprising a releasably connected to it linear regulator. CREM module ( 6 ), comprising an engine fan ( 5 ) and a water cooler according to claim 6 or 7.