KR102335979B1 - Cooling system and cooling method for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooling system for a vehicle, comprising: a coolant circulation line through which coolant is circulated so as to cool an object to be cooled; an electric water pump for pumping the coolant; a sensing unit for measuring the current temperature of the cooling water; and a control unit controlling the driving of the electric water pump; The control unit may include: a calculator configured to calculate a required flow rate of the cooling water required for cooling the cooling target based on a state of the cooling target; a storage unit storing a cooling water pumping map in which a proportional relationship between the temperature of the cooling water, the RPM of the electric water pump, and a pumping flow rate of the cooling water pumped by the electric water pump is mapped; and a driving unit configured to drive the electric water pump according to the target RPM of the electric water pump derived by substituting the current temperature and the required flow rate of the cooling water into the cooling water pumping map.

Description

Automotive cooling system and method {Cooling system and cooling method for vehicle}

The present invention relates to a cooling system for an automobile and a method therefor.

In general, automobiles include various parts (hereinafter, referred to as 'cooling objects') that generate heat, such as motors and control units. In order to prevent these cooling objects from being thermally damaged, a conventional automotive cooling system includes a cooling water circulation line through which cooling water is circulated to pass through the cooling objects, and an electric water pump (EWP) for pumping the cooling water to be circulated along the cooling water circulation line. : Electric Water Pump) and a control unit for controlling the driving of the electric water pump.

The flow rate of cooling water required to cool the object to be cooled (hereinafter, referred to as a 'required flow rate') is changed according to the state of the object to be cooled. Accordingly, the control unit adjusts the flow rate of the cooling water pumped by the electric water pump by adjusting the RPM of the electric water pump to be proportional to the required flow rate of the cooling water.

However, since the temperature of the cooling water is changed in real time according to the cooling aspect of the object to be cooled, the viscosity of the cooling water, which is in inverse proportion to the temperature of the cooling water, is also changed in real time according to the cooling aspect of the object to be cooled. For this reason, even when the electric water pump is driven at the same RPM, the flow rate of the coolant pumped by the electric water pump is inevitably changed according to the viscosity of the coolant. Accordingly, the conventional cooling system for a vehicle has a problem in that the coolant is over-supplied or under-supplied compared to the required flow rate by setting the RPM of the electric water pump without considering the temperature or viscosity of the coolant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cooling system and method for a vehicle improved so as to precisely supply cooling water as much as a required flow rate.

A cooling system for a vehicle according to an aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems includes a coolant circulation line through which coolant is circulated so as to cool an object to be cooled, a reservoir tank in which coolant circulated along the coolant circulation line is stored, and the An electric water pump installed on the cooling water circulation line to be positioned between the reservoir tank and the cooling target and pumping the cooling water, a radiator installed on the cooling water circulation line to be positioned between the cooling target and the reservoir tank, the cooling water a sensing unit for measuring a current temperature of The unit may include a calculator configured to calculate a required flow rate of the coolant required for cooling the object to be cooled based on the state of the object to be cooled, the temperature of the coolant, the RPM of the electric water pump, and the coolant pumped by the electric water pump. A storage unit storing a cooling water pumping map to which a proportional relationship between pumping flow rates is mapped, and a target RPM of the electric water pump derived by substituting the current temperature and required flow rate of the cooling water into the cooling water pumping map a first temperature sensor installed in the reservoir tank to measure the current temperature of the cooling water and a first temperature sensor installed to the cooling target to measure the current temperature of the cooling water; 2 temperature sensors are provided, wherein the cooling target is the control unit, and the second temperature sensor is provided in the control unit.

Preferably, the driving unit derives the RPM of the electric water pump as the target RPM by substituting the current temperature and the required flow rate of the coolant into the coolant pumping map as the coolant temperature and pumping flow rate.

Preferably, the sensing unit includes a first temperature sensor installed in the cooling water circulation line to measure the current temperature of the cooling water.

Preferably, the cooling water pumping map has an X coordinate system in which temperature data of the cooling water is recorded, a Y coordinate system in which RPM data of the electric water pump is recorded, and a Z coordinate system in which pumping flow rate data of the cooling water is recorded.

Preferably, the calculator calculates the required flow rate of the cooling water based on the current temperature of the cooling target.

Preferably, the sensing unit includes a second temperature sensor installed on the object to be cooled so as to measure a current temperature of the object to be cooled.

Preferably, the cooling object is the control unit, and the second temperature sensor is installed in the control unit.

A cooling method for a vehicle according to another aspect of the present invention for solving the above-described problems includes a coolant circulation line through which coolant is circulated so as to cool an object to be cooled, a reservoir tank in which coolant circulated along the coolant circulation line is stored, and the An electric water pump installed on the cooling water circulation line to be positioned between the reservoir tank and the cooling target and pumping the cooling water, a radiator installed on the cooling water circulation line to be positioned between the cooling target and the reservoir tank, the cooling water a sensing unit measuring a current temperature of The unit includes a first temperature sensor installed in the reservoir tank to measure a current temperature of the cooling water and a second temperature sensor installed to the cooling target to measure a current temperature of the cooling target, is the control unit, and the second temperature sensor, in the vehicle cooling method installed in the control unit, (a) measures the current temperature of the cooling water, and based on the state of the cooling target, calculating a required flow rate, (b) deriving a target RPM of the electric water pump based on the current temperature and the required flow rate of the cooling water, and (c) driving the electric water pump at the target RPM include

Preferably, the step (a) comprises the steps of: (a1) measuring the current temperature of the object to be cooled; and (a2) calculating the required flow rate of the cooling water based on the current temperature of the cooling target.

Preferably, in the step (b), the current temperature of the coolant on a coolant pumping map in which a proportional relationship between the temperature of the coolant, the RPM of the electric water pump, and the pumping flow rate of the coolant pumped by the electric water pump is mapped and substituting the required flow rate as the temperature and pumping flow rate of the cooling water, and deriving the RPM of the electric water pump corresponding to the current temperature and the required flow rate of the cooling water as the target RPM.

Preferably, in step (b), the cooling water pumping map includes an X coordinate system in which the temperature data of the cooling water is recorded, a Y coordinate system in which the RPM data of the electric water pump is recorded, and the pumping flow rate data of the cooling water are recorded It has a Z coordinate system.

The cooling system and method for a vehicle according to the present invention can set the target RPM of the electric water pump in consideration of the change factor of the pumping flow rate of the coolant depending on the temperature or viscosity of the coolant, so that the coolant is precisely supplied to the object to be cooled as much as the required flow rate. can supply

1 is a view schematically showing a cooling system for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the motor control unit shown in FIG. 1 ;
3 is a view showing a cooling water pumping map for setting a target RPM of the electric water pump shown in FIG. 1;
4 is a flowchart for explaining a cooling method for a vehicle according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. In adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are given the same reference numerals as much as possible even though they are indicated on different drawings. In addition, in describing the embodiment of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function interferes with the understanding of the embodiment of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In describing the components of the embodiment of the present invention, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc. may be used. These terms are only for distinguishing the elements from other elements, and the essence, order, or order of the elements are not limited by the terms. In addition, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Terms such as those defined in a commonly used dictionary should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related art, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal meaning unless explicitly defined in the present application. does not

1 is a diagram schematically showing a cooling system for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The cooling system 1 for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is provided to precisely pump cooling water only by a flow rate required to cool the cooling target (hereinafter referred to as 'required flow rate') and supply it to the cooling target. . The type of automobile to which the cooling system 1 for automobiles can be applied is not particularly limited. For convenience of explanation, the present invention will be described below by taking the case of applying the cooling system 1 for a vehicle to a hybrid vehicle capable of driving a vehicle by selectively using the power of the engine and the power of the motor as an example.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a cooling system 1 for a vehicle includes a coolant circulation line 10 through which coolant is circulated so as to cool an object to be cooled, a reservoir tank 20 in which coolant is stored, and electric water for pumping coolant Electric water so that the cooling water is pumped by the required flow rate by the pump 30, the radiator 40 capable of cooling the cooling water, the sensing unit 50 for measuring the current temperature of the cooling water and the cooling target, and the electric water pump 30 and a control unit 60 for controlling the operation of the pump 30 .

The type of the cooling target that can be cooled using cooling water is not particularly limited. For example, the cooling object is a hybrid power control unit 63, OPU (Oil Pump Unit), motor, OBC (On Board Charge), HSG (Hybrid Starter & Generator), such as various PE electronic parts (Power Electronic Parts) ) may be at least one of Hereinafter, the present invention will be described by taking the case of cooling the hybrid power control unit 63 using cooling water as an example.

First, the cooling water circulation line 10 is configured as a conduit forming a closed loop so that the cooling water can be circulated.

Next, the reservoir tank 20 is installed on the cooling water circulation line 10 . In the reservoir tank 20 , the coolant circulated along the coolant circulation line 10 is stored.

Next, the electric water pump 30 (EWP, Electric Water Pump) is installed on the cooling water circulation line 10 to be positioned between the reservoir tank 20 and the hybrid power control unit 63 . The electric water pump 30 pumps the cooling water to be circulated along the cooling water circulation line 10 .

Next, the radiator 40 is installed on the coolant circulation line 10 so as to be located between the hybrid power control unit 63 and the reservoir tank 20 . The radiator 40 may cool the cooling water heated by the hybrid power control unit 63 through air cooling or other cooling method. The coolant that has passed through the radiator 40 is stored in the reservoir tank 20 .

Next, the sensing unit 50 may include a first temperature sensor 52 for sensing the current temperature of the coolant and a second temperature sensor 54 for sensing the current temperature of the hybrid power control unit 63 . have. The first temperature sensor 52 is preferably installed in the reservoir tank 20, but is not limited thereto. That is, the first temperature sensor 52 may be installed on the cooling water circulation line 10 . The second temperature sensor 54 may be installed in the hybrid power control unit 63 .

Next, the control unit 60 is provided to control the driving of the hybrid vehicle. For example, the control unit 60 includes an engine control unit 61 (ECU: Engine Control Unit) that controls driving of the engine, and a motor control unit (ECU) that controls driving of a motor, an electric water pump 30, etc. 62) (MCU: Motor Control Unit) and a hybrid power control unit 63 (HPCU: Hybrid Power Control Unit) that integrates network-connected lower control units as an upper control unit and controls overall driving of a hybrid vehicle, etc. may include

The control unit 60 may be installed on the cooling water circulation line 10 to be cooled by the cooling water circulated along the cooling water circulation line 10 . For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , a hybrid power control unit 63 with a particularly large amount of heat as an upper control unit among the aforementioned control units is installed on the cooling water circulation line 10 so that it can be cooled by the cooling water. can be

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the motor control unit illustrated in FIG. 1 , and FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a cooling water pumping map for setting a target RPM of the electric water pump illustrated in FIG. 1 .

Since the temperature of the coolant circulated along the coolant circulation line 10 changes in real time according to the cooling aspect of the object to be cooled, the viscosity of the coolant, which is inversely proportional to the temperature of the coolant, is inevitably changed in real time. For this reason, even when the electric water pump 30 is driven at the same RPM, the flow rate of the cooling water pumped by the electric water pump 30 (hereinafter referred to as 'pumping flow rate') is inevitably changed according to the viscosity of the cooling water. . Therefore, the conventional cooling system for a vehicle has a problem in that, because the RPM of the electric water pump is set without considering the temperature or viscosity of the coolant, the required flow rate of the coolant and the pumping flow of the coolant are frequently different. In order to do this, the cooling system 1 for a vehicle is provided to set the RPM of the electric water pump 30 in consideration of a change in the pumping flow rate of the coolant depending on the temperature or viscosity of the coolant.

For example, the motor control unit 62 includes a calculator 64 that calculates a required flow rate of the cooling water based on the state of the hybrid power control unit 63 , the temperature of the cooling water, and the RPM of the electric water pump 30 . and a storage unit 65 storing a cooling water pumping map to which a proportional relationship between the pumping flow rates of cooling water is mapped, and an electric water pump 30 according to the target RPM derived by substituting the current temperature and required flow rate of the cooling water into the cooling water pumping map. It may include a driving unit 66 for driving the .

The calculator 64 calculates the required flow rate of the cooling water based on the current state of the hybrid power control unit 63 . The state of the hybrid power control unit 63 serving as a calculation standard for the required flow rate of cooling water is not particularly limited. For example, the calculator 64 may calculate the required flow rate of the coolant to be proportional to the current temperature of the hybrid power control unit 63 measured by the second temperature sensor 54 .

In the storage unit 65 , as shown in FIG. 3 , the proportional relationship between the temperature of the cooling water, the RPM of the electric water pump 30 and the pumping flow rate of the cooling water by the electric water pump 30 is three-dimensionally mapped cooling water The pumping map is saved. As shown in FIG. 3 , the cooling water pumping map includes an X coordinate system in which the temperature data of the cooling water is recorded, a Y coordinate system in which the RPM data of the electric water pump 30 is recorded, and the cooling water by the electric water pump 30 . It may have a Z coordinate system in which the pumping flow data of

The driving unit 66 substitutes the current temperature of the cooling water measured by the first temperature sensor 52 and the required flow rate of the cooling water calculated by the calculation unit 64 into the cooling water pumping map as the temperature and pumping flow rate of the cooling water, The RPM of the electric water pump 30 corresponding to the current temperature and the required flow rate of the coolant is derived as the target RPM.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , when the current temperature of the cooling water is X1 and the required flow rate of the cooling water is Z1, the target RPM is derived as Z1 according to the cooling water pumping map.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , when the current temperature of the coolant is X2 higher than X1 and the required flow rate of the coolant is Z1, according to the coolant pumping map, the target RPM is Z2 lower than Z1. . This indicates that since the viscosity of the coolant decreases when the temperature of the coolant increases, the same pumping flow rate of the coolant can be secured even when the electric water pump 30 is driven at a lower target RPM than when the temperature of the coolant is low.

As described above, using the cooling water pumping map, the target RPM of the electric water pump 30 corresponding to the current temperature and required flow rate of the cooling water may be derived from the cooling water pumping map.

The driving unit 66 drives the electric water pump 30 at the target RPM derived as described above to supply cooling water as much as a required flow rate to the hybrid power control unit 63 .

As described above, the cooling system 1 for a vehicle compensates for the change in the pumping flow rate of the coolant depending on the temperature or viscosity of the coolant using the coolant pumping map, so that the coolant is precisely supplied to the object to be cooled by the required flow rate. According to the cooling system 10 for a vehicle, the fuel consumption of the vehicle can be prevented from falling by increasing the consumption current of the electric water pump 30 due to the cooling water being low supplied to the cooling target and the cooling target being thermally damaged or oversupplied. .

4 is a flowchart for explaining a cooling method for a vehicle according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

A cooling method for a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of measuring a current temperature of coolant and calculating a required flow rate of coolant based on a state of an object to be cooled (S10); It includes a step of deriving the target RPM of the electric water pump 30 based on (S20) and a step of driving the electric water pump 30 at the target RPM (S30). For convenience of description, the present invention will be described below by taking the case where the cooling target is the hybrid power control unit 63 as an example.

First, step S10 includes measuring the current temperature of the coolant (S12), measuring the current temperature of the hybrid power control unit 63 (S14), and the current temperature of the hybrid power control unit 63 It may include calculating the required flow rate of the cooling water based on the temperature (S 16).

Step S 12 may be performed by measuring the current temperature of the coolant accommodated in the reservoir tank 20 using the first temperature sensor 52 .

Step S 14 may be performed by measuring the current temperature of the hybrid power control unit 63 using the second temperature sensor 54 .

Step S 16 may be performed by using the calculator 64 of the motor control unit 62 to set the required flow rate of the coolant to be proportional to the current temperature of the hybrid power control unit 63 measured in step S 14 .

Next, step S 20 may be performed using a cooling water pumping map in which the proportional relationship between the temperature of the cooling water, the RPM of the electric water pump 30 and the pumping flow rate of the cooling water pumped by the electric water pump 30 is mapped. have.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the cooling water pumping map includes an X coordinate system in which the temperature data of the cooling water is recorded, a Y coordinate system in which the RPM data of the electric water pump 30 is recorded, and a Z coordinate system in which the pumping flow rate data of the coolant is recorded. It may be a 3D map with

More specifically, in step S20, the current temperature of the cooling water measured in step S12 and the required flow rate of cooling water derived in step S16 are substituted as the temperature and pumping flow rate of the cooling water, and corresponding to the current temperature and required flow rate of the cooling water It can be performed by deriving the RPM of one electric water pump as the target RPM.

Thereafter, step S 30 may be performed by driving the electric water pump 30 at the target RPM derived in step S 20 .

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical spirit of the present invention, and various modifications and variations will be possible without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical spirit of the present invention, but to explain, and the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention should be construed by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

1: cooling system
10: coolant circulation line
20: reservoir tank
30: electric water pump
40 : radiator
50: sensing unit
52: first temperature sensor
54: second temperature sensor
60: control unit
61: engine control unit
62: motor control unit
63: hybrid power control unit
64: output unit
65: storage
66: drive unit

Claims (11)

a cooling water circulation line through which cooling water is circulated so that the cooling object can be cooled;
a reservoir tank in which the coolant circulated along the coolant circulation line is stored;
an electric water pump installed on the cooling water circulation line to be positioned between the reservoir tank and the cooling target and pumping the cooling water;
a radiator installed on the cooling water circulation line to be positioned between the cooling target and the reservoir tank;
a sensing unit for measuring the current temperature of the cooling water; and
and a control unit installed on the cooling water circulation line to be cooled by the cooling water circulating along the cooling water circulation line and controlling the driving of the electric water pump;
The control unit is
a calculation unit calculating a required flow rate of the cooling water required for cooling the cooling target based on the state of the cooling target;
a storage unit storing a cooling water pumping map in which a proportional relationship between the temperature of the cooling water, the RPM of the electric water pump, and a pumping flow rate of the cooling water pumped by the electric water pump is mapped; and
and a driving unit for driving the electric water pump according to the target RPM of the electric water pump derived by substituting the current temperature and the required flow rate of the cooling water into the cooling water pumping map,
The sensing unit is
a first temperature sensor installed in the reservoir tank to measure the current temperature of the coolant; and
and a second temperature sensor installed in the object to be cooled so as to measure the current temperature of the object to be cooled;
The cooling target is the control unit,
The second temperature sensor is a cooling system for a vehicle, characterized in that installed in the control unit. According to claim 1,
wherein the driving unit substitutes the current temperature and required flow rate of the coolant into the coolant pumping map as the coolant temperature and pumping flow rate to derive the RPM of the electric water pump as the target RPM. . delete According to claim 1,
The cooling water pumping map has an X coordinate system in which the temperature data of the coolant is recorded, a Y coordinate system in which the RPM data of the electric water pump is recorded, and a Z coordinate system in which the pumping flow rate data of the coolant is recorded. for cooling system. According to claim 1,
The calculation unit is a cooling system for a vehicle, characterized in that for calculating the required flow rate of the coolant based on the current temperature of the cooling object. delete delete a cooling water circulation line through which cooling water is circulated so that the cooling object can be cooled;
a reservoir tank in which the coolant circulated along the coolant circulation line is stored;
an electric water pump installed on the cooling water circulation line to be positioned between the reservoir tank and the cooling target and pumping the cooling water;
a radiator installed on the cooling water circulation line to be positioned between the cooling target and the reservoir tank;
a sensing unit for measuring the current temperature of the cooling water; and
and a control unit installed on the cooling water circulation line to be cooled by the cooling water circulated along the cooling water circulation line and controlling the driving of the electric water pump,
The sensing unit is
a first temperature sensor installed in the reservoir tank to measure the current temperature of the coolant; and
and a second temperature sensor installed in the object to be cooled so as to measure the current temperature of the object to be cooled;
The cooling target is the control unit,
In the cooling method for a vehicle installed in the control unit, the second temperature sensor,
(a) measuring the current temperature of the cooling water and calculating the required flow rate of the cooling water based on the state of the cooling target;
(b) deriving a target RPM of the electric water pump based on the current temperature and the required flow rate of the cooling water; and
(c) driving the electric water pump at the target RPM. 9. The method of claim 8,
The step (a) is,
(a1) measuring the current temperature of the object to be cooled; and
(a2) calculating the required flow rate of the coolant based on the current temperature of the object to be cooled. 9. The method of claim 8,
The step (b) is,
The current temperature and the required flow rate of the cooling water are displayed on a cooling water pumping map in which a proportional relationship between the temperature of the cooling water, the RPM of the electric water pump, and the pumping flow rate of the cooling water pumped by the electric water pump is mapped. A cooling method for a vehicle, characterized in that the flow rate is substituted, and the RPM of the electric water pump corresponding to the current temperature and the required flow rate of the coolant is derived and performed as the target RPM. 11. The method of claim 10,
The step (b) is,
The cooling water pumping map has an X coordinate system in which the temperature data of the coolant is recorded, a Y coordinate system in which the RPM data of the electric water pump is recorded, and a Z coordinate system in which the pumping flow rate data of the coolant is recorded. cooling method.

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