KR102560923B1 - Automotive thermal management module - Google Patents

Abstract

In one aspect, a vehicle thermal management module is provided comprising a module housing defining a pump chamber, a pumping element movable to drive coolant flow, a first location occluding a first cross sectional flow area of the pump chamber and a first portion of the pump chamber. A pump flow restricting member movable to a second position occluding the two cross section flow area, a first control port on the module housing, an aperture plate and a motor. The opening plate has a port side facing the first control port and a pump chamber side facing the pump chamber, and a first opening extending between the sides. The aperture plate is movable to a first position and a second position providing either a first aperture area size or a second aperture area size for the first control port. A motor is operatively connected to the pump flow restricting member and the aperture plate.

Description

Automotive thermal management module

This disclosure generally relates to a thermal management module for controlling coolant flow in a vehicle.

Thermal management modules (TMMs) are known to be employed in coolant systems for use in controlling coolant flow. While TMMs are useful in that they incorporate some control over the flow of coolant through the coolant system, TMMs can suffer from one or more problems. For example, a TMM that controls many valves can be expensive because, depending on the number of valves, multiple motors are required to drive them. These TMMs may also require complex control systems to control the operation of these valves. Also, these TMMs can be physically large due to their many components.

It would be beneficial to provide a TMM that alleviates one or more of the aforementioned and/or other problems.

In one aspect, a thermal management module for a coolant system for a vehicle is provided. The thermal management module includes a module housing defining a pump chamber; a pumping element located within the pump chamber, the pumping element movable to drive a flow of coolant through the pump chamber; A pump flow restricting member, wherein the pump flow restricting member is movable to a first pump flow restricting member position occluding a first cross sectional flow area size of the pump chamber, and wherein the pump flow restricting member is movable to a second cross sectional flow area size of the pump chamber. a pump flow restricting member movable to a second pump flow restricting member position occluding a size, wherein the second cross sectional flow area size is different from the first cross sectional flow area size; a first control port provided on the module housing; aperture plate; and a motor. The aperture plate has a port side facing the first control port and a pump chamber side facing the pump chamber, and a first aperture plate opening extending from the port side to the pump chamber side. The aperture plate is movable to a first aperture plate position where the aperture plate provides a first aperture area size from the first aperture plate opening to the first control port, and wherein the aperture plate provides a second aperture area size from the first aperture plate opening to the first control port. It is movable to a second aperture plate position providing a control port. The second opening area size is different from the first opening area size. A motor is operatively connected to the pump flow restricting member and the aperture plate such that the motor drives the aperture plate between the first pump flow restricting member position and the second pump flow restricting member position and the second pump position. Drive the pump flow restrictor between flow restrictor positions.

In another aspect, a thermal management module is provided for a vehicular coolant system, comprising a module housing, an impeller, a first control inlet port, and an aperture plate. The module housing has a first wall, a second wall and a third wall, defining an aperture plate chamber between the first and second walls and a pump chamber between the second and third walls. The second wall has a pump chamber facing side facing the pump chamber and an aperture plate chamber facing side facing the aperture plate chamber. An impeller is rotatably supported within the pump chamber for rotation about an impeller axis and has an impeller inlet. A first control inlet port is provided on a first wall of the module housing. The aperture plate is positioned inside the aperture plate chamber. The aperture plate has a port side facing the first control inlet port and a pump chamber side facing the pump chamber, the first aperture plate opening extending from the port side to the pump chamber side. The aperture plate is movable to a first aperture plate position where the aperture plate provides a first aperture area size from the first aperture plate opening to the first control inlet port, and wherein the aperture plate provides a second aperture area size from the first aperture plate opening. 1 It is movable to a second aperture plate position providing a control inlet port. The second opening area size is different from the first opening area size. The aperture plate extends in a plane generally perpendicular to the impeller axis. The first aperture plate opening and the second wall are shaped to direct coolant to the impeller inlet.

For a better understanding of the various embodiments described herein and to more clearly show how they may be implemented, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, by way of example only.
1 shows a schematic layout of a coolant system of a vehicle engine according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
2A is a perspective view of a thermal management module for use with the coolant system shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 2B is another perspective view of the thermal management module shown in FIG. 1 to illustrate flow into and out of the thermal management module.
3 is a side view of the thermal management module shown in FIG. 2A showing the impeller.
4A is an exploded perspective view of the thermal management module shown in FIG. 2A.
FIG. 4B is another exploded perspective view of the thermal management module shown in FIG. 2A.
5A and 5B are perspective views of an aperture plate that is part of a first valve of the thermal management module shown in FIG. 2A.
6A and 6B are perspective views of the aperture plate shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B together with other components driven by the main gear of the aperture plate including the pump flow restricting member and the valve element of the second valve;
7A is a perspective view of the aperture plate shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B forming a seal with a port from a thermal management module.
FIG. 7B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the aperture plate and port shown in FIG. 7A.
8A is a side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a first state, with components removed to show the aperture plate.
8B is a side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a first state, with components removed to show the pump flow restricting member.
8C is a cross-sectional side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a first state, showing the valve element of the second valve.
9A is a side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a second state, with components removed to show the aperture plate.
9B is a side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a second state, with components removed to show the pump flow restricting member.
9C is a cross-sectional side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a second state, showing the valve element of the second valve.
10A is a side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a third state, with components removed to show the aperture plate.
10B is a side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a third state, with components removed to show the pump flow restricting member.
10C is a cross-sectional side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a third state, showing the valve element of the second valve.
11A is a side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a fourth state, with components removed to show the aperture plate.
11B is a side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a fourth state, with components removed to show the pump flow restricting member.
11C is a cross-sectional side view of the thermal management module showing the thermal management module in a fourth state, showing the valve element of the second valve.
FIG. 12A is a cross-sectional side view of a thermal management module with a variant of the pump flow restricting member shown in FIGS. 4A-11C in a first position.
FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional side view of a thermal management module with a variant of the pump flow restricting member shown in FIG. 12A in a second position.
13 is a graph showing curves representing the flow rate through various components of the coolant system versus the position of the aperture plate.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an alternative structure for operatively connecting a motor to a pump flow restricting member that is part of the thermal management module shown in FIG. 2A.
15 is a perspective view of an alternative portion of the module housing, not including the provision of a pump flow restricting member.
16 is a perspective view of optional features on the module housing for directing flow to the impeller inlet.
17 is a cross-sectional side view of a port in the module housing illustrating the flow of the wall of the module housing into the channel.
18 is a plan view of the wall of the module housing to illustrate the alignment between some ports and channels therein.

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, reference numbers may be repeated between the drawings to indicate corresponding or similar elements where deemed appropriate. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described herein. Also, this description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein.

Directional terms such as “above,” “below,” “front,” “rear,” and the like are used to correlate the locations of parts with reference to the figures discussed herein; These terms are to be understood in a relative sense and are not intended to limit the arrangement of components or parts to the specific embodiments exemplified herein.

Various terms used throughout this specification, unless the context dictates otherwise, can be read and understood as follows: "or" used throughout is inclusive, even if written as "and/or" ; Singular articles and pronouns used throughout include their plural and vice versa; Similarly, since gender pronouns include their relative pronouns, pronouns should not be construed as limiting anything described herein to use, implementation, performance, etc. by that single gender; “Exemplary” should be understood as “illustrative” or “exemplifying” and not necessarily “preferred” over other embodiments. Additional definitions for terms may be set forth herein; In order to be able to read and understand this description, it may apply before and after instances where the term is used.

general layout

1 shows a coolant system 10 for a vehicle. In the illustrated example, the coolant system 10 includes a plurality of conduits 12 and a plurality of heat loads, which heat loads include: an engine block 14, a cylinder head ) 16, engine oil heat exchanger 50, surge tank 52, radiator 54, turbo 58, transmission oil heat exchanger 56, and cabin heat exchanger (68). The coolant system 10 further includes a thermal management module 30 that controls the flow of coolant for all of the heat loads described above. It will be appreciated that the above-mentioned heat loads are exemplary only. The coolant system 10 may alternatively include different heat loads, and may have less or more heat loads. The function of these heat loads will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

2A, 2B, 3, 4A and 4B show the thermal management module 30 in more detail. The thermal management module 30 includes a module housing 32 forming a pump chamber 34 ( FIGS. 3 and 4A ) in which a pumping element ( 36) is placed. The module housing 32 has a plurality of ports 40 (FIG. 2B), including at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port. These ports 40 are further described below. In this embodiment, the thermal management module 30 includes a pump flow restriction member 38 (FIGS. 3 and 4A).

In this embodiment, the thermal management module 30 includes two valves: a first disc-shaped valve having an aperture plate 42 as a valve element and FIGS. 4a, 4b, 6a, 6b and 8c to 62 in FIGS. 11C and having a valve element 65 . A first valve, described in more detail below, uses an aperture plate 42 to control flow into the pump chamber 34 through the plurality of ports 40 . In this example, the second valve 62 is a ball valve, and thus the valve element 65 is a ball-shaped valve element. Second valve 62 includes a plurality of ports (FIG. 6B), including first inlet port 60a, second inlet port 60b, and outlet port 60c in this example, and, like the first valve, is modular. It is fluidly connected to the housing 32 .

Motor 44 controls thermal management module 30 as described in more detail below.

In the illustrated example, the module housing 32 is made up of a first module housing portion 32a, a second module housing portion 32b, and a third module housing portion with suitable gaskets therebetween. are then sealed together using bolts or the like. In an alternative embodiment, module housing 32 may be made of two or more module housing parts joined or welded together in any other suitable manner.

Port 40 communicates with an associated conduit 12 in coolant system 10 . In the illustrated example, ports 40 include a first port identified at 40a, a second port identified at 40b, a third port identified at 40c, a fourth port identified at 40d, a fifth port identified at 40e, and a sixth port identified at 40f. The first port 40a is an inlet port, connected to a first conduit 12a of the coolant system 10 and from the engine (specifically, from the conduit shown at 12j of FIGS. 1 and 4A ) to the module housing 32 ) moves the coolant into In this example, conduit 12j is connected to engine block 14, but it is alternatively possible to connect it to any other suitable part of the engine. The second port 40b is an inlet port and is connected to the second conduit 12b of the coolant system 10 and transfers the coolant from the engine oil heat exchanger 50 into the module housing 32, the engine oil heat exchanger itself displaces the coolant from the engine block (14). The third port 40c is an inlet port, which is connected to the third conduit 12c of the coolant system 10 and moves coolant from the surge tank 52 for the coolant system 10 into the module housing 32. The fourth port 40d is an inlet port, which is connected to the fourth conduit 12d of the coolant system 10 and moves coolant from the radiator 54 into the module housing 32 . The fifth port 40e is an outlet port and is connected to the fifth conduit 12e of the coolant system 10 and is connected to various heat loads from the module housing 32 (transmission oil heat exchanger 56, engine block 14 and cylinder head 16, turbo 58, engine oil heat exchanger 50, cabin heat exchanger 68 and surge tank 52]. A sixth port 40f ( FIGS. 2A and 2B ) can be seen, which is an inlet port, to receive coolant from various sources including the turbo 58 and transmission oil heat exchanger 56. A sixth conduit 12f ) is connected to In addition, the conduit 12g of the coolant system 10 is connected to the first second-valve port ( 60a) (which, as described above, is the inlet port) can be seen conveying the coolant. Conduit 12h ( FIG. 3 ) (in this example, internal to module housing 32 ) of coolant system 10 extends from pump chamber 34 to second second-valve port of second valve 62 . 60b (which, as described above, is the inlet port) delivers the coolant. Outlet port 60c of second valve 62 carries coolant along conduit 12i from second valve 62 to transmission oil heat exchanger 56. The second valve 62 comprises a second-valve housing 63 ( FIGS. 6A and 6B ), inside which is a valve element 65 . In this example, second valve 62 is a ball valve (and valve element 65 is thus a ball), but it may be any other suitable type of valve.

Completely, the conduit 12j leading from the engine to the inlet port 60a of the second valve 62 also leads through the conduit 12k to the inlet of the radiator 54, and to heat the passenger compartment of the vehicle, the conduit ( 12 m) leading to the cabin heat exchanger (68). The illustrated coolant system 10 is exemplary only, many thermal loads can be modified or eliminated, and the routing of the coolant delivery conduit 12 will depend on the particular application with which the coolant system 10 is used. It will be understood that it can be changed as needed based on the

2B includes dotted arrows indicating flow into and out of thermal management module 30 .

General structure of pump

The module housing 32 of this example includes four controlled inlet ports 40a to 40d, an uncontrolled inlet port 40f, and an outlet port 40e for the first disc-shaped valve, but the module housing 32 may alternatively have any suitable number of inlet and outlet ports. For example, in some alternative embodiments, module housing 32 may have a single inlet port and a single outlet port. In another embodiment, module housing 32 may have more than four control inlet ports and/or more than four outlet ports.

Pumping element 36 is shown more clearly in FIG. 3 . Pumping element 36 is located within pump chamber 34 and is movable to drive a flow of coolant through pump chamber 34 and out through at least port 40e. The pumping element 36 of this example is an impeller 70, an impeller inlet 72 configured to suck in liquid while the impeller 70 rotates, and an impeller outlet configured to discharge liquid in a generally radial direction ( 74). Thus, the module housing 32 and the impeller 70 together form a centrifugal pump. The module housing 32 has an impeller outlet receiving chamber 76, which is a pump chamber radially outward of the impeller 70 for conveying coolant from the impeller outlet 74 to the outlet port 40e. It is part of (34).

In this example, impeller 70 is coupled with a toothed pulley 77 (FIG. 4A) to be driven by a timing belt (not shown) from the engine. In an alternative embodiment, impeller 70 may be driven by an electric motor.

It will be appreciated that pumping element 36 may be any other suitable type of element that moves coolant. For example, in an alternative embodiment, pumping element 36 may be a movable piston to form a positive-displacement pump with module housing 32 .

The pump flow restrictor 38 is movable to a plurality of pump flow restrictor locations to control the amount of coolant flow through the pump chamber 34 . In this example, the pump flow restricting member 38 is a tongue 78 from the tongue 78 to a receiving opening 49 of the module housing 32 (one of which is shown in FIG. 4B). It is pivotally mounted to the module housing 32 by means of an extending shaft 48 (FIG. 4A). The tongue 78 is pivotable into a first tongue position (where the tongue 78 occludes a first cross-sectional flow area size of the pump chamber 34) and into a second tongue position (the tongue 78 is the pump chamber 34). (34), and the second cross-sectional flow area size is greater than the first cross-sectional flow area size. For example, the tongue position of FIG. 10B can be considered a first tongue position, solid line 80a represents the size of the first cross-sectional area of pump chamber 34 occluded by tongue 78, and the tongue position of FIG. 8B The position (78) can be regarded as the second tongue position, and the solid line 80b represents the size of the second cross-sectional area of the pump chamber 34 occluded by the tongue 78. As can be seen, in the position shown in FIG. 8B , tongue 78 occludes the entire cross-sectional area of pump chamber 34 so that there is only leakage flow exiting pump chamber 34 . In some embodiments, if tongue 78 and module housing 32 are properly configured, leakage flow is substantially zero. In some embodiments, the leakage flow may be less than some selected value, such as 100 ml/min, or 50 ml/min.

In another example, the position of tongue 78 in FIG. 11B can be considered the first position of tongue 78 (which in this case occludes a zero-magnitude cross-sectional area in pump chamber 34), and the tongue 78 in FIG. 10B ( 78) may be considered a second position of the tongue 78.

Discussion of volutes

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , tongue 78 is similar to a component referred to as a diverter in PCT Publication No. WO2017/124198, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. The tongue 78 thus forms at least a portion of the volute 82 around at least a portion of the impeller 70 . The volute is the region of the impeller outflow receiving chamber 76 having a gradually increasing cross-sectional area from the upstream end (shown in 84) to the downstream end 85 (as shown in FIG. 3). In the presently shown embodiment, the volute 82 occupies substantially the entirety of the impeller outlet receiving chamber 76, in addition to the outlet area shown at 86. In some embodiments, the volute 82 has a cross-sectional area that gradually increases from the upstream end 84 of the tongue 78 toward the downstream end 85 of the tongue 78, which passes through the volute 82. This is sufficient to ensure that the velocity of the flowing coolant remains substantially constant while the impeller 70 rotates at the selected rpm. It should be noted that the velocity of the coolant flowing through the volute 82 (or through virtually any passage) will vary with the cross-sectional area of the volute 82. However, at any point along the length of the volute 82, the coolant has an average velocity given its velocity profile over cross-sectional area. Thus, when the velocity of the coolant flowing through the volute 82 is referred to as being held substantially constant, this means that the average velocity of the liquid remains substantially constant along the circumferential length of the volute 82. (82) can be formed.

The advantages of this configuration for tongue 78 are described in PCT Publication No. WO2017/124198. In particular, the flow rate through a centrifugal pump with tongue 78 can be varied over a wide range of flow rates with little effect on the efficiency of the pump.

In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B , the pump flow restricting member 38 may be a tongue 87 that does not form part of the volute around the impeller 70 . For example, tongue 87 may be generally straight, thereby restricting coolant flow through module housing 32 and gradually reducing the efficiency of the pump.

Discussion of port and aperture plate openings

Referring to Figures 5a, 5b, 6a and 6b, the aperture plate 42 has a port side 88 facing and engaging the first, second, third and fourth ports 40a to 40d. . Based on this combination, ports 40a, 40b, 40c and 40d may be referred to as control ports, since flow through these ports is controlled by aperture plate 42, while remaining ports 40e, 40f) may be referred to as an uncontrolled port. The aperture plate 42 further includes a pump chamber side 90 facing the pump chamber 34 and a plurality of aperture plate openings 92 extending from the port side 88 to the pump chamber side 90 . The aperture plate openings 92 control the flow of coolant through the ports 40 . In other words, each of the aperture plate openings 92 controls the flow of coolant through at least one of the ports 40 . In the illustrated example, the aperture plate 42 includes a first aperture plate opening 92a, a second aperture plate aperture 92b, a third aperture plate aperture 92c, and a fourth aperture plate aperture 92d. It has four aperture plate openings 92 . However, for purposes of this disclosure, any aperture plate opening 92 may be considered a first aperture plate opening; It should be noted that any aperture plate opening may be considered a second aperture plate opening or the like. Likewise, any port 40 may be considered a first port; Any port may be considered a second port or the like.

Although there are four aperture plate openings 92 and four ports 40a to 40d engaging the aperture plate 42, there are the same number of ports 40 engaging the aperture plate 42 as the aperture plate openings 92. ) need not be present. In the exemplary embodiment, each of the aperture plate openings 92 is not in a one-to-one relationship with one of the ports 40 . As described in more detail below, aperture plate opening 92a controls flow through ports 40a and 40b. Mouth plate opening 92b controls the flow through port 40d, and both mound plate openings 92c and 92d control flow through port 40c. Accordingly, no special relationship is required between the number of aperture plate openings 92 and the number of ports 40 engaging the aperture plate 42 .

Each of the baffle plate openings 92 may have any suitable size and shape, and it is not necessary for the baffle plate opening 92 to match the size and shape of one or more ports 40 through which flow is permitted. As shown in Figures 5A and 6B, ports 40a-40d are all circular, while openings 92a, 92b both have semi-circular ends and tapered ends and have different degrees of elongation. , and the openings 92c and 92d are both elongated but have two semicircular ends.

In the illustrated embodiment, the aperture plate 42 has a single flow position for a selected one of the aperture plate apertures 92 (the first of the aperture plate apertures 92 allows flow through a single port 40). , and multiple flow positions (selected one of the aperture plate openings 92 enabling flow through the plurality of ports 40). An example of this is shown in FIGS. 8A and 9A, wherein the aperture plate opening 92a allows flow through a single one of the ports 40 (i.e., 40a) when in the position shown in FIG. 8A; It enables flow through a plurality of ports (ie, 40a, 40b) of ports 40 when in the position shown in 9a.

Advantageously, as shown in Fig. 5A, the aperture plate opening 92c is spaced radially inwardly from the aperture plate apertures 92a and 92b. This facilitates an increase in the number of ports 40 that can be fitted to the aperture plate, whereby the thermal management module 30 can handle a relatively large number of ports while maintaining a compact size compared to other conventional thermal management modules. make it possible

The aperture plate 42 is movably mounted within the module housing 32 . In the illustrated example, to rotatably support the aperture plate 42 to the module housing 32, the aperture plate 42 extends from the module housing 32 through a hole 98 in the aperture plate 42. It is rotatably mounted to the module housing 32 using a stub shaft 96. The aperture plate 42 is thus rotatable about the aperture plate rotational axis A.

Face seal between port and aperture plate

During movement of the aperture plate 42, the port side 88 of the aperture plate 42 slides against the face seals 99 (Figs. 7A and 7B) at each end of the port 40, so that the aperture plate 42 slides. At least a portion of at least one of the openings 92 is provided to at least one of the ports 40 . The port side 88 and face seal 99 substantially prevent coolant flow therebetween such that flow through any given one port 40 into the pump chamber 34 overlaps between the aperture plate openings 92. to be dependent on the size of the

More specifically, each of the ports 40 includes a tubular port body 100 movably positioned in a recess 102 of the module housing 32 . The port body 100 has a port body through-opening 104 that communicates with an associated housing through-opening 106 of the base 108 of the recess 102 of the module housing 32 . The housing through opening 106 then communicates with the associated one of the conduits 12 .

The pot body 100 has an outer surface 110 with a peripheral sealing member 112 that seals between the wall 114 of the recess 102 and the pot body 100 . The perimeter sealing member 112 may be, for example, an o-ring or some similar polymeric sealing member having a selected cross-sectional profile.

The port body 100 may be made of any suitable material, such as PTFE, so that it can be sealed while maintaining relatively low friction during sliding with the aperture plate 42 . Alternatively, the port body may be made of some other suitable material. The face seal 99 at the free end of the port body 100 may itself be formed directly from the material of the port body 100 or, alternatively, may be formed from a suitable sealing member such as an O-ring or other profiled sealing member. can

A port biasing member 115 urges the port body 100 towards a sealing engagement between the face seal 99 and the port side 88 of the aperture plate 42 . The port biasing member 115 may be a compression spring, which acts between the base 108 of the recess 102 and the port body 100 to force the port body 100 away from the base 108. It is pressed and made to engage with the opening plate 42.

Connection between motor and aperture plate, second valve and pump flow limiting member

The aperture plate 42 is movable using a main gear 116, and the main gear is integral with the aperture plate 42 and is provided on its periphery. The main gear 116 is driveable by the motor 44 ( FIGS. 8A , 9A , 10A , 11A ). In this embodiment, motor 44 drives pinion 118, which in turn drives main gear 116. In this embodiment, the motor is bi-directional and can be an electric motor, or any other suitable type of motor (eg, hydraulic motor, pneumatic motor, multi-position linear solenoid). solenoid or rotary solenoid], which is intended to be considered a type of motor for the purposes of this disclosure.

The aperture plate 42 drives a pump cam 120, which can be seen in FIGS. 4a, 4b, 6a and 6b. In this embodiment, the pump cam 120 is integral with the aperture plate 42 . A pump cam follower 122 engages the pump cam 120 and is driven by the pump cam 120 to pivot through various positions. A pump cam follower shaft 124 extends through a through opening 125 (a small portion shown in FIG. 4B ) of the second housing portion 32b. The pump cam follower shaft 124 is connected to a pump flow restriction member driver 126 on the opposite side of the second housing portion 32b. The pump flow restricting member driver 126 engages the pump flow restricting member 38 . In this example, the pivotal actuation of the pump cam follower 122 by the pivotal actuation of the pump cam 120 in the first direction of rotation is directed toward a position that closes the flow through the module housing 32 to the pump flow restricting member ( 38) to run. The pivotal driving of the pump cam follower 122 by the pivotal driving of the pump cam 120 in the second direction of rotation drives the pump flow restricting member driver 126 away from the pump flow restricting member 38 . Fluid flow within the module housing 32 urges the pump flow restricting member 38 toward the fully open position and thus into engagement with the pump flow restricting member driver 126, which in turn pushes the pump flow restricting member driver 126 into the pump cam ( 120) to drive the pump cam follower 122 in engagement. Optionally, the pump flow restriction member 38 further includes a pump flow restriction member biasing member 127, which, for example, is directed toward the fully open position shown in FIG. 11B. It may be a cantilever leaf spring that presses the pump flow restricting member 38 . Consequently, being urged from coolant flow in the pump chamber 34 and from the pump flow restricting member biasing member 127, the pump flow restricting member driver 126 serves as a limiter for the pump flow restricting member 38. It works effectively. Nevertheless, it can still be considered that the pump cam follower 122 is operably connected to the pump flow restricting member 38, and the pump cam follower drives the pump flow restricting member 38 into a plurality of pump flow restricting member locations. can be said to drive

Although pump cam 120 is shown as being integral with aperture plate 42, it is alternatively possible for pump cam 120 to be driven by a main gear, or to be a separate member parallel to main gear 116. .

The opening plate 42 may further include a valve member driver for driving the valve element 65 of the second valve 62 . In this embodiment, the valve member driver includes a plurality of sector gears 130 spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction around the axis A. Sector gear 130 is positioned to mesh with valve input gear 132 on valve element 65 . Sector gear 130 changes the position of valve element 65 between one of three positions, as shown in Figs. 8c, 9c, 10c and 11c. The position shown in FIG. 8C is the closed position, in which there is no flow through the second valve 62 to the transmission oil heat exchanger 56. The location shown in FIG. 9C is the transmission oil heat exchanger heating position, where the second valve 62 directs flow from conduit 12g (and thus from the engine via conduit 12j) to transmission oil heat exchanger 56. and this is to heat the transmission oil. This helps to quickly raise the transmission oil to a temperature at which its viscosity becomes relatively low, thereby reducing power loss occurring during shifting of the vehicle. The position shown in FIGS. 10C and 11C is the transmission oil heat exchanger cooling position, where the second valve 62 directs flow from conduit 12h (and thus from the pump) to transmission oil heat exchanger 56, which This is to cool the transmission oil. This may be done, for example, when coolant is conveyed from radiator 54 into pump chamber 34 via conduit 12d. This helps prevent overheating of the transmission fluid and extends the operating life of the transmission fluid. Optionally, to allow partial flow from conduits 12g and 12j and/or from conduits 12h and 12d, and/or to allow flow from other conduits 12 of the coolant system 10, a second valve ( 62) may be provided for additional locations.

As can be seen in FIGS. 6A and 5A, the aperture plate 42 includes a rim area 131, which circumferentially extends between areas on the periphery where the sector gear 130 is located. do. Until the next sector gear 130 is rotated by the input gear 132 to rotate the valve element 65 to a new position, this rim area 131 is driven by the input gear ( 132) causes the aperture plate 42 to rotate while cooperating with the gear teeth of the input gear 132 to hold it in place.

The motor 44 is driven via a plurality of gears to the aperture plate 42, via a plurality of gears to the second valve 62 and via a plurality of gears to the pump cam and pump cam follower as well as the pump flow restricting member 38 Although described as being operatively connected to the motor 44 and the aperture plate 42, the second valve 62 and the pump flow restricting member 38, the operative connection may be made by any suitable alternative means. can For example, the connection between the motor 44 and the pump flow restricting member 38 may be solely by means of a plurality of gears. Such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 14 . In FIG. 14 , a motor (not shown) drives pinion 118 , which in turn drives main gear 116 of aperture plate 42 . The aperture plate 42 further includes a plurality of sector gears 200, and the sector gears drive the pump flow limiting member input gear 202. The pump flow limiting member input gear 202 is connected to the shaft 204, the shaft passes through the opening of the module housing 32 and is connected to the pump flow limiting member driver 126, and the pump flow limiting member drive The pump flow restricting member 38 is then actuated in the same manner as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 6A and 6B.

Description of Exemplary Locations of the Aperture Plate, Second Valve and Pump Flow Restricting Member

The aperture plate 42 is movable to a plurality of positions, some examples of which are shown in FIGS. 8A to 11C. In the position shown in FIG. 8A, the aperture plate openings 92a allow flow through port 40a, while the aperture plate apertures 92b, 92c, and 92d allow total flow through ports 40b, 40c, and 40d. can be seen to prevent It can also be seen that the pump flow restricting member 38 ( FIG. 8B ) remains in the closed position and only leakage flow (preferably greater than zero in this case) is allowed through the pump chamber 34 . Some flow is selectively passed from the engine to the cabin heat exchanger 68 to transfer heat to the vehicle's cabin when requested by the vehicle's occupants. Additionally, the second valve 62 ( FIG. 8C ) is shown with the valve element 65 in a position to prevent flow through the second valve 62 . The location of this aperture plate 42, or more broadly, the location of this thermal management module 30, is the thermal management module 30 to the engine via port 40e and then from the engine via port 40a. It generates a small amount of flow (ie, non-zero leakage flow) that is returned to the management module 30 . This location of the thermal management module 30 can be used during engine startup when the engine is cold, allowing the engine to warm up to a desired temperature at which combustion occurs more efficiently in the cylinders, which produces more power and more Produces less emissions. This location of thermal management module 30 may therefore be referred to as an engine preheat location.

In the position shown in FIG. 9A , the aperture plate openings 92a allow full flow through port 40a and allow partial flow (ie, a portion of the total flow) through port 40b, while the aperture plate It can be seen that openings 92b, 92c, 92d prevent flow through ports 40c, 40d. The pump flow restricting member 38 ( FIG. 9B ) is only slightly open so that less flow (more than leakage flow) is allowed through the pump chamber 34 . Additionally, the second valve 62 ( FIG. 9C ) is shown with the valve element 65 in a position allowing flow through the second valve 62 from the engine. The location of this aperture plate 42, or more broadly, the location of this thermal management module 30, is the thermal management module 30 to the engine via port 40e and then from the engine via port 40a. It generates some flow back to the management module 30 whereby some of the flow from the engine passes through the second valve 62 and is carried to the transmission oil heat exchanger 56. Some flow is optionally passed from the engine back to the cabin heat exchanger 68 to transfer heat to the vehicle's cabin when requested by the vehicle's occupants. This location of the thermal management module 30 continues to heat the engine, and when the engine warms up to some extent, it begins to heat the transmission oil, raising the transmission oil to a temperature at which its viscosity is significantly reduced, as described above. It can be used to start doing things. This location of thermal management module 30 may therefore be referred to as an engine and transmission preheat location.

In the position shown in Fig. 10a, the aperture plate opening 92a allows partial flow through port 40a and full flow through port 40b; Mouth plate opening 92c allows full flow from surge tank 52 through port 40c, while aperture plate opening 92d allows partial flow from radiator 54 through port 40d. can see. The pump flow restricting member 38 (FIG. 10B) is brought open as close to its fully open position as possible to permit flow (most of the flow when in the fully open position) through the pump chamber 34. Additionally, the second valve 62 ( FIG. 9C ) is shown with the valve element 65 positioned to allow flow through the second valve 62 from the port 40e of the module housing 32 . . The location of this aperture plate 42, or more broadly, the location of this thermal management module 30, is the thermal management module 30 to the engine via port 40e and then from the engine via port 40a. generate flow back to management module 30, whereby a portion of the flow from the engine passes through radiator 54 and returns to thermal management module 30 through port 40d, whereby port 40e A portion of the flow exiting the pump chamber 34 through the transmission oil heat exchanger 56 to cool the transmission oil instead of going to the engine. Some flow from the engine passes through the engine oil heat exchanger 50 to cool the engine oil to prevent overheating of the engine oil. Some flow is optionally passed from the engine back to the cabin heat exchanger 68 to transfer heat to the vehicle's cabin when requested by the vehicle's occupants. This location of the thermal management module 30 can be used to control engine temperature and also to cool the transmission fluid when it reaches a maximum allowable threshold. This location of thermal management module 30 may therefore be referred to as an engine temperature control and transmission cooling location.

In the position shown in FIG. 11A, the aperture plate opening 92a does not allow flow through port 40a, but allows total flow through port 40b; The aperture plate opening 92d allows total flow from the radiator 54 through the port 40d while the aperture plate opening 92c allows total flow from the surge tank 52 through the port 40c. can see. The pump flow restricting member 38 ( FIG. 10B ) is open to a fully open position so that full flow is allowed through the pump chamber 34 . Additionally, the second valve 62 ( FIG. 9C ) is shown with the valve element 65 positioned to allow flow through the second valve 62 from the port 40e of the module housing 32 . . The location of this aperture plate 42, or more broadly, the location of this thermal management module 30, is from the thermal management module 30 through port 40e to the engine, then from the engine to the radiator 54, and then It creates a flow that returns to the thermal management module 30 through the port 40d. A portion of the flow exiting pump chamber 34 through port 40e passes through transmission oil heat exchanger 56 to cool the transmission fluid instead of going to the engine. Some flow from the engine passes through the engine oil heat exchanger 50 to cool the engine oil to prevent overheating of the engine oil. Some flow is optionally passed from the engine back to the cabin heat exchanger 68 to transfer heat to the vehicle's cabin when requested by the vehicle's occupants. This location of the thermal management module 30 can be used to provide as much cooling as possible to the engine, and can also be used to cool the transmission oil when it reaches a maximum allowable threshold. This location of thermal management module 30 may be referred to as a maximum engine and transmission cooling location.

While the locations shown in FIGS. 8A-11C constitute some exemplary locations for thermal management module 30 , it will be noted that a number of other locations for thermal management module 30 may be possible.

Based on the above description, the aperture plate 42 moves to the first aperture plate position (the aperture plate 42 provides the first aperture area size from the first aperture plate opening 92a to the first port 40a). Capable (eg, rotatable) and movable to a second aperture plate position (aperture plate 42 provides a second aperture area size from first aperture plate aperture 92a to first port 40a) (eg, rotatable), and the second opening area size is different from the first opening area size. For example, the first position of the aperture plate 42 may be the position shown in FIG. 11A (the flow through the first port 40a is zero), and the second aperture plate position of the aperture plate 42 is It may be the position shown in FIG. 10A, where there is some flow through the first port 40a at the second aperture plate position. The first position and the second position of the aperture plate 42 may be referred to as a first aperture plate position and a second aperture plate position, respectively. Also, the pump flow restricting member 38 is in a different position in FIG. 10B than in FIG. 11B. Accordingly, when the aperture plate 42 is moved from the first position (eg, the position shown in FIG. 11A) to the second position (eg, the position shown in FIG. 10A), the motor 44 operates the pump Move the flow restricting member 38 from the first pump flow restricting member position (the pump flow restricting member 38 occludes the first cross-sectional flow area size of the pump chamber 34) to the second pump flow restricting member position (pump flow The limiting member 38 blocks the second cross-sectional flow area size of the pump chamber 34, and the second cross-sectional flow area size is different from the first cross-sectional flow area size].

Accordingly, the motor 44 is operatively connected to the pump flow restricting member 38 and the aperture plate 42 so that the aperture plate 42 is moved between the first and second aperture plate positions by the motor 44. ), and drive the pump flow restricting member 38 between the first pump flow restricting member position and the second pump flow restricting member position.

Graph of flow rate and aperture plate position

As described herein, it can be seen that the flow of coolant that occurs through the various components within the coolant system 10 varies with the position of the aperture plate 42 . The graph shown in FIG. 13 shows the cross-sectional flow area from or into the various components versus the position of the aperture plate 42 . More specifically, curve 150 represents the cross-sectional flow area at port 40d, which represents the flow from radiator 154. Curve 152 represents the cross sectional flow area at the downstream end of pump flow restricting member 38 . Curve 154 represents the cross-sectional flow area at port 40b, which represents the flow through engine oil heat exchanger 50. Curve 156 represents the cross-sectional flow area at port 40c, which represents the flow from surge tank 52. Curve 152 represents the cross-sectional flow area at port 40a, which represents the flow from the engine to the pump. Curve 160 represents the flow through port 60b for the coolant used to cool the transmission oil. Curve 162 represents the flow through port 60a for coolant used to heat the transmission oil. It will be understood that the position of the aperture plate 42 affects the position of the pump flow restricting member 38 and the position of the valve element 65 of the second valve 62 and thus indicates their positions.

Lines 164a, 164b, 164c and 164d indicate the position of the aperture plate 42 at the positions shown in Figs. 8a, 8b, 8c and 8d, respectively.

Alternative without pump flow restriction

Although thermal management module 30 is shown as having a pump flow restricting member to control flow through pump chamber 34, it is alternatively possible for thermal management module 30 to omit that element. In this alternative the thermal management module 30 may lack a way to throttle the flow through the pump chamber 34 . Alternatively, a suitable valve may be provided downstream from port 40e, which valve controls the flow out of the pump and thus through the pump chamber 34. As another alternative, the impeller (or more broadly, the pumping element) may be driven by an electric motor, and the speed of the electric motor may be controlled to provide the pump with the ability to control flow through the pump chamber 34. . Figure 15 shows a part of the module housing, specifically a part 32b of the housing, which has been modified to not include the area of the pump flow restricting member, nor the through opening for the shaft of the pump flow restricting member driver. In this example, a fixed volute 170 is shown around the impeller. In embodiments without pump flow restricting members, the aperture plate 42 would not need to have a cam thereon, and thus would not need a cam follower. The motor 44 will control the rotational position of the aperture plate 42 and the second valve 62, if provided.

Reducing channel and pump impeller inlet pressure drop in the second wall of the module housing

As noted above, the arrangement of the aperture plate 42 and the axially oriented ports 40a - 40d provide a reduced amount of coolant flow into the pump impeller 70 compared to some prior art thermal management modules. provide a pressure drop. To further reduce pressure drop, module housing 32 includes some additional optional features. As seen in particular in FIGS. 4A and 4B , module housing portions 32a , 32b and 32c form a first wall 172a , a second wall 172b and a third wall 172c , respectively. The module housing 32 forms an aperture plate chamber 174 between the first wall 172a and the second wall 172b, and the pump chamber 34 between the second wall 172b and the third wall 172c. ) to form 4a and 4b, the second wall 172b comprises a pump chamber facing side 176 facing the pump chamber 34 and an aperture plate chamber facing side 178 facing the aperture plate chamber 174. have The impeller 70 is rotatably supported within the pump chamber 34 so as to rotate about an impeller axis (which may be the same axis as the aperture plate axis A), as described above.

As can be seen in FIGS. 4A and 4B , aperture plate 42 is located within aperture plate chamber 174 . Given that the impeller axis is the same as the aperture plate axis A, it will be appreciated that the aperture plate 42 extends in a plane generally perpendicular to the impeller axis. As can be seen in FIGS. 4A , 4B and 16 , the first aperture plate opening 92a and the second wall 172b are shaped to guide the coolant to the impeller inlet 72 . In this example, this is done by shaping the aperture plate opening 92 to allow flow through the aperture plate 42 in the axial direction, and the aperture plate facing side 178 of the second wall 172b has at least one internal therein. Provided by constructing a second wall 172b to have a channel 180, the channel having a first end 182 facing (and aligned with) the first control inlet port 40a, and having a pump chamber 34 ) and the chamber through-opening 186 of the second wall 172b between the aperture plate chamber 174 and has a second end 184.

17 shows a cross-sectional view of a port 40 oriented in an axial direction and delivering coolant through a baffle plate opening 92, which extends axially and at a first end of one of the channels 180. (182) face.

18 is a plan view of module housing portion 32b, showing channel 180 and dotted circles representing ports 40a and 40b. 17 and 18 illustrate that the first end of the channel faces and aligns with the port 40 .

Benefits of Thermal Management Modules

Many advantages may be realized by the thermal management module 30 described herein. For example, an aperture plate 42 provided on the pump allows for significant flow control over multiple conduits while maintaining a small overall size compared to at least some of the prior art thermal management modules. The aperture plate 42 facilitates the use of complex aperture shapes, which are more difficult to provide on cylindrical or ball-shaped members found in some prior art valves. The direction of flow of the coolant entering the thermal management module 30 is generally axially oriented, which has a reduced pressure drop compared to some prior art thermal management modules. In embodiments where the tongue 78 forms part of the volute 82, the efficiency of the pump remains very high even when the flow from the pump changes. Providing a single actuator (which drives the aperture plate 42, second valve 62 and pump flow restricting member 38 through a series of positions during operation of the vehicle) is It is computationally very easy, since all the components (pump, aperture plate 42 and second valve 62) are moved by the movement of a single component (motor 44). The motor 44 may include an encoder or some other means for sensing its movement, and the ECU may include the opening plate 42, the valve element 65 of the second valve 62 and the pump flow restricting member. (38) to determine the location. Although only a single component is moving (motor 44), it is a function of a plurality of flow control members (opening plate 42, valve element 65 of second valve 62, and pump flow restricting member 38). movement, the thermal management module 30 allows the engine to be preheated to an efficient operating temperature, the transmission oil to be preheated to an efficient operating temperature, in the process of heating and cooling other elements in the coolant system. It provides excellent performance in that it allows transmission oil to be heated and cooled, and other points of view.

Note that the control ports 40 (i.e., ports 40a to 40d) of the thermal management module 30 shown in the figure are all inlet ports. However, it is alternatively possible to provide a thermal management module in which the control ports are all outlet ports, or the control ports are a combination of one or more inlet ports and one or more outlet ports. For example, the coolant system 10 may be composed of an opening plate 42 mounted in the outlet port 40e, and induces a flow of coolant through a plurality of additional conduits to heat the radiator 54, engine, and engine oil. It can be used to direct the flow of coolant to any one of several components such as exchanger 50, cabin heat exchanger 68) and/or other components.

Although the second valve 62 is shown in the example shown in FIGS. 1-11C , it will be noted that the second valve 62 is optional. In other words, it is alternatively possible to provide the coolant system 10 with a valve similar to valve 62 but controlled by a dedicated actuator separate from motor 44. Alternatively, coolant system 10 may be configured to omit these valves entirely.

It will also be noted that other valves may be provided in the coolant system for flow control as needed or desired, based on the specific parameters of the application.

Those skilled in the art will understand that many alternative implementations and modifications are possible, and that the above examples are merely illustrative of one or more implementations. Accordingly, its scope is limited only by the claims appended hereto and any amendments thereto.

Claims (17)

A thermal management module for a vehicle coolant system,
a module housing forming a pump chamber;
a pumping element located within the pump chamber, the pumping element movable to drive a flow of coolant through the pump chamber;
A pump flow restricting member, wherein the pump flow restricting member is movable to a first pump flow restricting member position occluding a first cross sectional flow area size of the pump chamber, and wherein the pump flow restricting member is movable to a second cross sectional flow area size of the pump chamber. a pump flow restricting member movable to a position of a second pump flow restricting member occluding a size, wherein the second cross-sectional flow area size is different from the first cross-sectional flow area size;
a first control port provided on the module housing;
An aperture plate having a port side facing the first control port and a pump chamber side facing the pump chamber, the first aperture plate opening extending from the port side to the pump chamber side, wherein the aperture plate extends from the first aperture plate opening to the pump chamber side. is movable to a first aperture plate position providing one aperture area size to the first control port, and wherein the aperture plate is movable from the first aperture plate opening to a second aperture plate position providing a second aperture area size to the first control port. a movable aperture plate, wherein the second opening area size is different from the first opening area size; and
A motor operably connected to the pump flow restricting member and the aperture plate, the motor being operative to drive the aperture plate between a first pump flow restricting member position and a second pump flow restricting member position and a second pump flow restricting member position. A thermal management module comprising: a motor to drive the pump flow restrictor between flow restrictor positions. The row according to claim 1, wherein the first opening area size from the opening of the first opening plate provided to the first control port becomes zero when the opening plate is located at one of the first opening plate position and the second opening plate position. management module. The thermal management module according to claim 1, wherein the first control port has a predetermined cross-sectional size and cross-sectional shape, and the first aperture plate opening has a cross-sectional shape different from the cross-sectional size and cross-sectional shape of the first control port. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a second control port in the module housing, wherein at least one of the first aperture plate position and the second aperture plate position, the aperture plate provides a first opening of the first aperture plate to the first control port. A thermal management module providing a portion and providing a second portion of the first aperture plate opening to the second control port. The method of claim 1, wherein the motor drives the main gear,
The main gear is integral with the aperture plate, and the aperture plate is rotatable about an axis of rotation of the aperture plate to a first aperture plate position and a second aperture plate position. The thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein the aperture plate further comprises a second aperture plate aperture spaced radially inwardly from the first aperture plate aperture. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal management module further comprises a second valve, the second valve comprising a second-valve housing, a first second-valve on the second-valve housing, and a second valve on the second-valve housing. a 2-valve and a third 2-valve on the 2-valve housing, the valve element of the 2-valve housing and the first 2-valve, the second 2-valve, and the third 2-valve; Induces the flow of the coolant between the first 2-valve, the second 2-valve, and the third 2-valve,
The motor is operatively connected to the valve element such that driving of the aperture plate between the first and second aperture plate positions by the motor drives the movement of the valve element so that the first second-valve, the second aperture plate position, and the second aperture plate position. A thermal management module that changes the flow between the two second-valves and the third second-valve. The thermal management module of claim 1 wherein the pump flow restrictor is a tongue pivotable between a first pump flow restrictor position and a second pump flow restrictor position. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the motor drives the pump cam, and the thermal management module further comprises a pump cam follower, the pump cam follower engaging with the pump cam and operably connected to the pump flow restricting member to provide a first pump flow. A thermal management module configured to drive a pump flow restrictor to a restrictor position and a second pump flow restrictor position. 10. The thermal management module of claim 9, wherein the pump cam is integral with the aperture plate. The thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein the pumping element is a rotatable impeller to drive a flow of coolant through the pump chamber. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the first control port and the second control port,
a port body movably positioned in the recess of the module housing, the port body having a face seal thereon; and
a port biasing member that urges the port body towards a sealing engagement between the face seal and the port side of the aperture plate;
The thermal management module of claim 1 , wherein the port body has an outer surface with a peripheral sealing member sealing between the wall of the recess and the port body. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the port biasing member is a compression spring that urges the port body away from the base of the recess, and the base of the first recess is in fluid communication with an end of the associated one of the first conduit and the second conduit. A thermal management module having an opening through the housing that The method of claim 1, wherein the motor drives the main gear,
The main gear is integral with the aperture plate, the aperture plate is rotatable about the axis of rotation of the aperture plate to a first aperture plate position and a second aperture plate position,
The thermal management module further includes a second valve, the second valve comprising a second-valve housing, a first second-valve on the second-valve housing, a second second-valve on the second-valve housing, and a second second-valve on the second-valve housing. having a third 2-valve on the 2-valve housing, the valve element of the 2-valve housing and the first 2-valve, the second 2-valve, and the third 2-valve comprising the first 2-valve induce a flow of coolant between the valve, the second 2-valve, and the third 2-valve;
A motor is operatively connected to the valve element such that driving of the aperture plate between the first and second aperture plate positions by the motor drives movement of the valve element to obtain the first second-valve, the second aperture plate and the second aperture plate. A thermal management module that changes the flow between the second-valve and the third second-valve. The thermal management module of claim 1 wherein the pump flow restrictor is a tongue forming part of a volute of the pump chamber at one of the first pump flow restrictor location and the second pump flow restrictor location. A thermal management module for a vehicle coolant system,
A module housing having a first wall, a second wall and a third wall, defining an aperture plate chamber between the first wall and the second wall, and defining a pump chamber between the second wall and the third wall, comprising: a second wall; The wall comprises a module housing having a pump chamber facing side facing the pump chamber and an aperture plate chamber facing side facing the aperture plate chamber;
An impeller rotatably supported in a pump chamber to rotate about an impeller shaft, comprising: an impeller having an impeller inlet;
a first control inlet port provided on a first wall of the module housing; and
An aperture plate inside the aperture plate chamber, the aperture plate comprising: a port side facing the first control inlet port, a pump chamber side facing the pump chamber, and a first opening extending from the port side to the pump chamber side. has a sphere plate opening, wherein the aperture plate is movable from the first aperture plate opening to a position of the first aperture plate providing a first aperture area size to the first control inlet port, wherein the aperture plate is movable from the first aperture plate opening to the second aperture A second aperture plate position is movable providing an area size to the first control inlet port, the second aperture area size being different from the first aperture area size, and the aperture plate being a plane perpendicular to the impeller axis. Including; an aperture plate extending to;
wherein the first aperture plate opening and the second wall are shaped to direct coolant to the impeller inlet. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the side of the second wall facing the aperture plate has at least one channel therein, the channel having a first end aligned with and facing the first control inlet port and providing a barrier between the pump chamber and the aperture plate chamber. A thermal management module having a second end in the chamber through-opening of the second wall.

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