DE102018205736A1 - Cooling system and method for applying at least two separate vehicle components of a motor vehicle with separate cooling air streams - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling system (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one working machine (5) for conveying ambient air. In order to realize a load-dependent, individual and cost-effective cooling of at least two vehicle components (2, 3, 4) of the motor vehicle, the cooling system (1) has at least two cooling air ducts (6) communicating with a pressure side of the working machine (5) the working machine (5) can be supplied with ambient air and are adapted to apply separate vehicle components (2, 3, 4) with separate cooling air streams, at least one electrically controllable valve unit (7) per cooling air channel (6), with which the respective cooling air channel (6) shut-off or at least partially releasable, and at least one electrically connected to the working machine (5) and the valve units (7) control and / or regulating electronics (9) which is arranged, the working machine (5) and the valve units (7) as a function of detected instantaneous state parameters of the working machine (5), the valve units (7) and / or the To control vehicle components (2, 3, 4) individually and / or to regulate.

Description

The invention relates to a cooling system for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one working machine for conveying ambient air. In addition, the invention relates to a method for applying at least two separate vehicle components of a motor vehicle with separate cooling air streams.

The problem of a load-dependent cooling of a drive train of a motor vehicle exists as long as there are internal combustion engines. For decades, heat sinks for cooling the powertrain have been realized by indirect cooling systems. In particular, liquid-cooled internal combustion engines are known, which are connected to a liquid cooling circuit in which a coolant circulates. To prevent overheating of the coolant, the coolant that has received heat from the engine is passed through an ambient air cooled radiator of the liquid cooling circuit.

The amount of cooling of a radiator with an ambient air flow depends, inter alia, on the flow velocity of the ambient air flow, the cooling intensity increasing with increasing flow velocity, and vice versa. Depending on the ambient air temperature and the coolant temperature, the flow velocity of the ambient air flow at slow speeds and in particular when stationary may no longer be sufficient to obtain a specific cooling result. For this reason, cooling systems for liquid-cooled internal combustion engines have a radiator fan assembly which is either continuously operated or only switched on when needed. A corresponding radiator fan arrangement has a working machine, for example a blower, with which ambient air can be sucked in and, as a result, an air flow can be generated with which the radiator is charged or cooled. For this purpose, the cooler is arranged either on the suction side or on the pressure side to the radiator fan assembly.

Conventionally, most of the radiator fan assemblies have a working machine in the form of an axial fan, which are arranged in front of a rear-mounted behind a vehicle front radiator or heat exchanger. Such a fan, in particular its impeller, fan hub and drive motor, restrict a frontal space of modern motor vehicles.

It is also known to equip a motor vehicle with a plurality of fan arrangements in order to be able to cool not only an internal combustion engine but also other vehicle components. Corresponding fan arrangements, even if they are individually controlled and / or regulated, are only able to generate an air flow through a single air path, with which the respective vehicle component is acted upon. For each separate air path so a separate fan assembly is installed, which increases costs and weight and consumes sections of an already cramped space.

The DE 10 2015 205 414 B3 relates to a radiator fan assembly for a cooling system of a liquid cooled vehicle engine. The radiator fan assembly includes a housing having a passage area for cooling air, and a working machine for accelerating cooling air in a flow direction through the housing. The work machine is arranged outside the passage area, wherein the housing has a quadrangular frame circumscribing the passage area and at least one intermediate web dividing the passage area into individual cells. In the frame and the at least one intermediate web, an air duct, which is conductively connected to the working machine medium, is formed with an air outlet opening facing the passage region. The frame has two opposite longitudinal limbs, which are connected to one another in terms of medium conduction at the ends via a respective transverse limb extending between the longitudinal limbs and shorter than the longitudinal limb. The at least one gutter is either arranged between the transverse limbs and connects the two longitudinal limbs medium-conducting with each other or arranged between the longitudinal limbs and connects the two transverse limbs medium conducting each other. It is provided with a medium-conducting connected to the frame connector, at its opposite the free end of the frame designed as an air compressor working machine is arranged, which is mechanically driven by the vehicle engine.

The JP H09 287 451 A discloses a cooling system having a nozzle fan disposed on a side of a radiator with slots for discharging compressed air as primary air and causing outside air to flow through the radiator as secondary air due to the nozzle flow of the primary air. Furthermore, the cooling system comprises an air pump, which is driven by a machine or an electric motor for generating the primary air to be supplied to the nozzle blower from outside air. In addition, the cooling system has a control and / or regulating device for controlling and / or regulating the supply of compressed air from the air pump to the nozzle fan.

The CN 103 287 255 A relates to a differential temperature powered vehicle energy storage system cooling device having a housing, Cooling air ducts, a differential temperature generating source, a power management unit, a compressed air generator and an air amplifier. Energy is generated by temperature difference between an energy storage system unit chamber and its environment and an energy storage unit and its environment, wherein the compressed air generator is driven by the energy. Compressed air is guided and boosted so that a strong flow of cooling air through the air amplifier is obtained, and the cooling air flows through the energy storage system to achieve cooling.

The WO 2017/121741 A1 discloses a cooling device for a brake system, comprising a channel having a first inlet, an outlet, a second inlet disposed between the first inlet and the outlet, and deflection means disposed proximate the second inlet. The deflection means are configured to deflect an airflow received through the second inlet toward the outlet and to create a low pressure region in the channel that causes air to be drawn into the channel through the first inlet toward the outlet. The outlet is configured to be proximate a portion of a brake system such that air exiting the outlet cools the portion of the brake system.

The CN 205 805 683 U discloses a vehicle with a heat sink having a radiator body and a wingless fan.

The WO 2013/161758 A1 discloses a cooling unit for blowing air toward a heat exchanger installed in a front part of a vehicle. The cooling unit includes a fan and an air injection frame for blowing air from the fan toward the heat exchanger, the air injection frame being installed in front of the heat exchanger. The air injection frame is provided with a side passage through which the air supplied from the blower is channeled, and a plurality of blow-in passages arranged in the vertical direction in front of the heat exchanger and communicating at one end with the side passage. An injection nozzle for blowing in air is formed on each of the blowing channels.

The WO 2015/038087 A2 discloses an engine cooling system that can be operated without the use of a fan electric motor, a fan part, a motor bracket, an electrical cable, a relay, and brackets. The engine cooling system provides fuel economy because the required airflow is provided by the waste heat. In addition, no fan noise is generated because no fan is present. Furthermore, no maintenance is required because there are no moving parts.

The US 8,919,300 B2 discloses a vehicle having a fan assembly with a heat exchanger incorporated into a coolant loop, the fan assembly capable of generating airflow through the heat exchanger and having at least one fan capable of generating a multiple stronger bleed airflow from a ring member via a primary airflow. The fan assembly is part of a radiator grille.

The CN 204 172 680 U discloses a cooling device for an automobile. The cooling device has a radiator and a cooling fan. The cooling fan has an intake air cover, an air guide cylinder and a supercharger connected to the radiator, wherein a plurality of air flow passages are formed in the intake air cover of the air guide, the air guide cylinder is disposed in the middle region of the intake air cover, and the supercharger is connected to the air guide cylinder. The cooling fan is of a wingless design. Air pressure is provided by the intake air cover. The functions of adjusting the air pressure uniformity of a cooler core and the improvement of the local air pressure can be achieved by changing the structure of the intake air cover.

The CN 206 478 897 U discloses a cooling arrangement for cooling an air conditioning system of a vehicle. The cooling arrangement comprises at least twenty fins, a coolant line, a cooling block and a fanless fan.

The invention has for its object to realize a load case-dependent, individual and cost-realizable cooling of at least two vehicle components of a motor vehicle.

According to the invention the object is achieved by a cooling system with the features of claim 1, the at least two communicating connected to a pressure side of the machine cooling air ducts, which are supplied by means of the working machine with ambient air and are arranged to apply separate vehicle components with separate cooling air streams, at least one electrically controllable valve unit per cooling air channel, with which the respective cooling air duct can be shut off or at least partially released, and at least one electrically connected to the working machine and the valve units control and / or regulating electronics, which is set up, the working machine and the valve units in response to detected momentary Conditional parameters of the working machine, the valve units and / or the vehicle components individually to control and / or to regulate.

It should be noted that the features listed in the following description as well as measures in any technically meaningful way can be combined with each other and show further embodiments of the invention. The description additionally characterizes and specifies the invention, in particular in connection with the figure.

According to the invention, two or more vehicle components of the motor vehicle can each be subjected to an individual cooling air flow using a single work machine. This is associated with a significant cost, weight and fuel consumption reduction and a space over the conventional use of a fan assembly per vehicle component to be cooled. In addition, the working machine is connected via the cooling air ducts with the individual vehicle components, so that the working machine can not be installed in the region of a vehicle component to be cooled, but away from it. As a result, a space occupied conventionally with a fan assembly space can be released for other vehicle components.

The working machine may comprise at least one fan for sucking in ambient air and for generating an air flow from the sucked ambient air, wherein the cooling air ducts are supplied with the air flow. The work machine may include an electric drive for driving the fan wheel. In a hybrid powertrain, the work machine may include a high voltage blower, further increasing the positionability of the work machine. Preferably, the cooling air system comprises a single working machine for jointly supplying the cooling air ducts with ambient air. The cooling system can in this case also have more than two cooling air channels connected to the pressure side of the working machine.

Each cooling air duct carries an air mass flow, with which a separate and therefore separate vehicle component assigned to the respective cooling air duct can be acted upon. The loading of the vehicle component with the air mass flow depends on the instantaneous delivery rate of the working machine and the release state of the valve unit arranged on the respective cooling air channel. In the shut-off state of the respective valve unit, no air flows through the respective cooling air channel connected to the valve unit, so that no admission of the respective vehicle component to a cooling air flow takes place by means of the cooling air channel.

The control and / or regulating unit may electrically detect, for example, sensor parameters of state parameters of the working machine, of the valve units and / or of the vehicle components. In addition, via the electrical connections between the control and / or regulating electronics and the working machine on the one hand and the valve units an electrical control of the working machine and / or the valve units to the flow rate of the working machine and / or the release states of the valve units individually to the respective cooling needs to adapt the vehicle components. As a result, with the cooling system according to the invention, depending on the load, an individual admission of the vehicle components to separate cooling air flows can take place. The cooling air ducts can thus be supplied by means of the valve units either individually or at least in pairs together with in each case a part of the air flow of the working machine.

At an outlet end of at least one cooling air passage, a housing according to DE 10 2015 205 414 B3 be arranged, in which the emerging from the cooling air duct air mass flow is introduced and from which the cooling air flow exits to pressurize the respective vehicle component with the cooling air flow. Each cooling air channel can also be combined with its own corresponding housing. Alternatively, a corresponding housing may be formed by a corresponding configuration of a front air intake component, for example a front spoiler, of the motor vehicle, so that no additional component (housing) is required. Regarding the description of a corresponding housing is on DE 10 2015 205 414 B3 the contents of which are incorporated by reference into the present application.

With the cooling system according to the invention, an active and individual as well as load-dependent cooling of a single vehicle component or at the same time of two or more vehicle components, especially at low speeds and / or high loads. A vehicle component may be a heat exchanger in the form of a radiator of a cooling circuit, for example for cooling an internal combustion engine, an auxiliary radiator in a wheel house or a directly to be cooled vehicle component, such as a traction battery, an electric control module of a traction battery, a component of an exhaust aftertreatment system, such as a Urea injector, a drive gear housing or the like.

The cooling system according to the invention is also advantageous over a cooling arrangement in which a single working machine is used for the simultaneous uninterrupted supply of several cooling air ducts with the air flow. For example, if currently only a single vehicle component with a cooling air flow through the each cooling air channel is acted upon and not the cooling air ducts to the other vehicle components, which need not be cooled at the moment, are closed, the working machine also works against the flow resistance of the non-cooling vehicle components, which is associated with a waste of energy. This is avoided with the present invention by closing valve units of unneeded cooling channels and adjusting the delivery rate of the working machine to the respective given cooling demand.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the control and / or regulating electronics is set up, as the respective state parameter, a current speed of the working machine, a current strength of the working machine supplied electric current, a current temperature of a fluid within the respective vehicle component, a momentary pressure within a fluid within of the respective vehicle component or to detect an instantaneous temperature of the respective vehicle component. The instantaneous temperature of the fluid within the respective vehicle component can be, for example, a coolant temperature of a coolant of a coolant circuit for indirect cooling of an internal combustion engine or the oil temperature of a transmission oil within a drive transmission of the motor vehicle. The instantaneous pressure within the fluid within the respective vehicle component may be, for example, the pressure within a refrigerant within an air conditioning system of the motor vehicle. The instantaneous temperature of the respective vehicle component may be, for example, the temperature of a drive transmission housing or of an electrical control module of a traction battery of the motor vehicle.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the control and / or regulating electronics is set up to compare the respectively detected instantaneous state parameter with a predetermined limit value and to control and / or regulate the work machine and the valve units in dependence on a result of this comparison. The respective predefined limit value may be, for example, a vehicle component-specific setpoint temperature value or setpoint pressure value, the exceeding of which is to be prevented or restricted by individual cooling of a vehicle component by means of the cooling system. Thus, if a detected instantaneous state parameter of the respective vehicle component is above the specified limit value for this vehicle component, the delivery rate of the work machine is increased and / or the valve unit is opened or opened at the respective cooling air channel, depending on how the detected current state of the work machine and / or the respective valve unit.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the working machine has at least one radial fan. A radial fan can usually be space-saving connected to other components, in particular the respective valve unit or the cooling air ducts, as an axial fan. Alternatively, the working machine may have at least one axial fan.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, at least one cooling air duct is at least partially formed by a flexible hose. As a result, the cooling air duct in a simple manner within the motor vehicle can be laid and adapted in its shape in a simple manner to the space available in each case for this installation space. The hose can be fixed to the motor vehicle, for example via clamps, clamping elements or the like. It is also possible for two or more, in particular all, cooling air ducts to be designed in each case as a flexible hose.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, at least one valve unit has a proportional valve. As a result, the air mass flow flowing through the respective cooling air duct can be varied steplessly in order to be able to act on the respective vehicle component individually with a cooling air flow.

The above object is also achieved by a motor vehicle with the features of claim 7, which has at least one cooling system according to one of the above embodiments or a combination of at least two of these embodiments with each other.

With the motor vehicle, the advantages mentioned above with respect to the cooling system are connected accordingly. The motor vehicle may be a conventional motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine, a hybrid electric vehicle or an electric vehicle.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the working machine is drivingly connected to an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle. As a result, the working machine can be driven as a function of load by means of the internal combustion engine, whereby electrical losses can be reduced.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the respective vehicle component is a radiator of a coolant circuit or a vehicle component generating operating heat. The coolant circuit can be used for example for the indirect cooling of an internal combustion engine or a traction battery. The operating heat generating vehicle component may be, for example, a traction battery, an electric drive assembly, a component of an exhaust aftertreatment system, such as a urea injector, a drive gear housing or the like.

The above object is further achieved by a method having the features of claim 10, according to which at least two cooling air ducts are supplied by a single machine with ambient air and the working machine and through the cooling air ducts flowing air mass flows in response to detected instantaneous state parameters of the working machine, from the cooling air ducts arranged valve units and / or the vehicle components are individually controlled and / or regulated.

With the method, the advantages mentioned above with respect to the cooling system are connected accordingly. In particular, the cooling system according to one of the above-mentioned embodiments or a combination of at least two of these embodiments can be used with one another to carry out the method.

According to an advantageous embodiment is as a respective state parameter, a current speed of the machine, a current strength of the working machine supplied electric current, a current temperature of a fluid within the respective vehicle component, a momentary pressure within a fluid within the respective vehicle component or a current temperature of the respective Vehicle component detected. With this embodiment, the advantages mentioned above with respect to the corresponding embodiment of the cooling system are connected accordingly.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the respective detected instantaneous state parameter is compared with a predetermined limit value and the working machine and the air mass flows flowing through the cooling air channels are individually controlled and / or regulated as a function of a result of this comparison. With this embodiment, the advantages mentioned above with respect to the corresponding embodiment of the cooling system are connected accordingly.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels für ein erfindungsgemäßes Kühlsystem.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims and the following description of the figures. It shows:

• 1 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a cooling system according to the invention.

1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a cooling system according to the invention 1 for a motor vehicle, not shown. Of the motor vehicle, only three to be cooled vehicle components 2 to 4 shown. The cooling system 1 serves for individual cooling of vehicle components 2 to 4 ,

The cooling system 1 has a work machine 5 for conveying ambient air, ie for sucking in ambient air and for generating an air flow. The working machine 5 has a radial fan, not shown, or is designed as a radial fan. The working machine 5 can be drivingly connected to an internal combustion engine, not shown, of the motor vehicle.

The cooling system 1 has three communicating with a printing side of the working machine 5 connected cooling air ducts 6 on, by means of the working machine 5 Can be supplied with ambient air and for applying the separate vehicle components 2 to 4 are set up with separate cooling air streams. At least one of the cooling air channels 6 may be at least partially formed by a flexible hose, not shown.

The cooling system 1 also has an electrically controllable valve unit 7 per cooling air channel 6 on, with the respective cooling air duct 6 lockable or at least partially releasable. The cooling air channels 6 are by means of the valve units 7 either individually or at least in pairs shut off together or at least partially releasable. The valve units 7 can each have at least one not shown proportional valve.

At each of the cooling air channels 7 On the output side is a housing 8th corresponding DE 10 2015 205 414 B3 arranged, in each of which the respective air mass flow can be introduced. About the housing 8th are the vehicle components 2 to 4 individually or at least in pairs simultaneously acted upon by a cooling air flow or with cooling air streams.

The cooling system 1 additionally has an electric with the work machine 5 and the valve units 7 via signal lines S1 Connected control and / or regulating electronics 9 on which is set up, the working machine 5 and the valve units 7 depending on the signal lines S1 and additional signal lines S2 recorded current state parameters of the work machine 5 , the valve unit 7 and / or the vehicle components 2 to 4 to individually control and / or regulate. In this case, the control and / or control electronics 9 be set up as the respective state parameter, a current speed of the machine 5 , a momentary strength of one of the working machine 5 supplied electric current, an instantaneous temperature of a fluid within the respective vehicle component 2 . 3 respectively. 4 , a momentary pressure within a fluid within the respective vehicle component 2 . 3 respectively. 4 or an instantaneous temperature of the respective vehicle component 2 . 3 respectively. 4 capture.

The control and / or regulating electronics 9 is set up to compare the respective detected current state parameter with a predetermined limit and the work machine 5 and the valve units 7 to individually control and / or regulate depending on a result of this comparison.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

cooling system

2

vehicle component

3

vehicle component

4

vehicle component

5

working machine

6

Cooling air duct

7

valve unit

8th

casing

9

Control and / or regulating electronics

S1

signal line

S2

signal line

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102015205414 B3 [0006, 0023, 0044]
• JP H09287451 A [0007]
• CN 103287255 A [0008]
• WO 2017/121741 A1 [0009]
• CN 205805683 U [0010]
• WO 2013/161758 A1 [0011]
• WO 2015/038087 A2 [0012]
• US 8919300 B2 [0013]
• CN 204172680 U [0014]
• CN 206478897 U [0015]

Claims (12)

Cooling system (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one working machine (5) for conveying ambient air, characterized by at least two communicating with a pressure side of the working machine (5) cooling air ducts (6), which are supplied by the working machine (5) with ambient air and for applying separate vehicle components (2, 3, 4) are arranged with separate cooling air streams, at least one electrically controllable valve unit (7) per cooling air channel (6), with which the respective cooling air channel (6) can be shut off or at least partially releasable, and at least a control and / or regulating electronics (9) electrically connected to the working machine (5) and the valve units (7), which is set up, the working machine (5) and the valve units (7) as a function of detected instantaneous state parameters of the working machine (5 ), the valve units (7) and / or the vehicle components (2, 3, 4) to control individually and / or to regulate. Cooling system (1) after Claim 1 , characterized in that the control and / or regulating electronics (9) is set up, as a respective state parameter, a current speed of the working machine (5), an instantaneous strength of the working machine (5) supplied electric current, a current temperature of a fluid within the respective vehicle component (2, 3, 4), an instantaneous pressure within a fluid within the respective vehicle component (2, 3, 4) or an instantaneous temperature of the respective vehicle component (2, 3, 4). Cooling system (1) after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the control and / or regulating electronics (9) is adapted to compare the respective detected instantaneous state parameter with a predetermined limit and to control the working machine (5) and the valve units (7) in dependence of a result of this comparison individually and / or to regulate. Cooling system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the working machine (5) has at least one radial fan. Cooling system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one cooling air channel (6) is at least partially formed by a flexible hose. Cooling system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one valve unit (7) has a proportional valve. Motor vehicle, characterized by at least one cooling system (1) according to one of the preceding claims. Motor vehicle after Claim 7 , characterized in that the working machine (5) is drivingly connected to an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle. Motor vehicle after Claim 7 or 8th , characterized in that the respective vehicle component (2, 3, 4) is a radiator of a coolant circuit or a vehicle heat generating vehicle component (2, 3, 4). A method for applying at least two separate vehicle components (2, 3, 4) of a motor vehicle with separate cooling air streams, characterized in that at least two cooling air channels (6) by means of a single machine (5) are supplied with ambient air and the working machine (5) and through The air mass flows flowing through the cooling air ducts (6) are individually controlled and / or regulated as a function of detected instantaneous state parameters of the working machine (5), valve units (7) arranged on the cooling air ducts (6) and / or vehicle components (2, 3, 4) , Method according to Claim 10 , characterized in that as a respective state parameter, a current speed of the working machine (5), an instantaneous strength of the electric power supplied to the working machine (5), an instantaneous temperature of a fluid within the respective vehicle component (2, 3, 4), an instantaneous pressure within a fluid within the respective vehicle component (2, 3, 4) or an instantaneous temperature of the respective vehicle component (2, 3, 4) is detected. Method according to Claim 10 or 11 , characterized in that the respectively detected instantaneous state parameter is compared with a predetermined limit value and the working machine (5) and the air mass flows flowing through the cooling air passages (6) are individually controlled and / or regulated as a function of a result of this comparison.

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