Method and system for controlling variable water pump based on flow rate control modes

Abstract

A method for controlling a variable water pump, in which a variable water pump for circulating a coolant is simultaneously controlled in association with an integrated flow rate control logic which controls a coolant flow based on a driving status of a vehicle, includes controlling the variable water pump to circulate the coolant and an integrated flow rate control valve to control the coolant flow using the integrated flow rate control logic. Flow rate control modes are classified into a heating mode and a fuel efficiency mode in consideration of operation information of an engine and the driving status of the vehicle. An operation of the variable water pump is controlled based on the operation information of the engine and the driving status of the vehicle in the heating mode or the fuel efficiency mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a variable water pump, wherein a variable water pump for circulating a coolant is simultaneously controlled in association with an integrated flow rate control logic which controls a coolant flow based on a driving status of a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:
 controlling, by an integrated controller, the variable water pump to circulate the coolant and an integrated flow rate control valve to control the coolant flow using the integrated flow rate control logic;   classifying, by an integrated controller, flow rate control modes into a heating mode and a fuel efficiency mode in consideration of operation information of an engine and the driving status of the vehicle; and   controlling, by an integrated controller, an operation of the variable water pump based on the operation information of the engine and the driving status of the vehicle in the heating mode or the fuel efficiency mode.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the heating mode, the step of controlling the operation of the variable water pump comprises steps of:
 operating the variable water pump; and   maximally increasing an amount of coolant delivered to a radiator when a current mode is determined to be a cooling mode in which a coolant temperature is greater than a reference temperature value while controlling a flow rate of the coolant using the variable water pump.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the fuel efficiency mode, the step of classifying the modes comprises steps of:
 dividing the fuel efficiency mode into flow rate control modes according to the integrated flow rate control logic based on the operation information of the engine and the driving status of the vehicle; and   controlling the operation of the variable water pump for each flow rate control mode.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of dividing the fuel efficiency mode comprises a step of stopping the operation of the variable water pump so that the coolant flow is blocked if a flow rate control mode is determined to be a stop mode which indicates initial start-up of the engine. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of dividing the fuel efficiency mode comprises a step of controlling the variable water pump so that only a necessary amount of coolant is supplied to an oil warmer or a heater via the variable water pump if a flow rate control mode is determined to be a warm-up mode which requires warm-up of the engine. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of dividing the fuel efficiency mode comprises a step of controlling the variable water pump so that an amount of coolant delivered to a radiator is maximally increased via the variable water pump if a flow rate control mode is determined to be a cooling mode in which a coolant temperature is greater than a reference temperature value. 
     
     
         7 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium comprising computer executable instructions which cause the integrated controller to perform the method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . A system for controlling a variable water pump according to flow rate control modes, the system comprising:
 a data storage configured to store operation information of an engine, a driving status of a vehicle, and temperature information of coolant; and   an integrated controller configured to classify the modes into a plurality of preset modes using an integrated flow rate control logic depending on the information stored in the data storage and to control operations of the variable water pump according to the preset modes.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the integrated controller classifies the modes into a heating mode and a fuel efficiency mode based on the information stored in the data storage, and controls the operations of the variable water pump according to corresponding modes. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the integrated controller is configured to operate the variable water pump if a current mode is determined to be the heating mode, and to control the variable water pump such that an amount of coolant delivered to a radiator is maximally increased if a temperature of the coolant, which is measured in real time and stored in the data storage, is greater than a reference temperature value during an operation of the variable water pump. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the integrated controller is configured to:
 divide the fuel efficiency mode into preset flow rate control modes of an integrated flow rate control valve based on the data stored in the data storage if a current mode is determined to be the fuel efficiency mode, and   control an operation of the variable water pump for each flow rate control mode.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the integrated controller stops the operation of the variable water pump to block a coolant flow if a flow rate control mode is determined to be a stop mode which indicates initial start-up of the engine. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the integrated controller controls the variable water pump so that only a necessary amount of coolant is supplied to an oil warmer or a heater via the variable water pump if a flow rate control mode is determined to be a warm-up mode which requires warm-up of the engine. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the integrated controller controls the variable water pump such that an amount of coolant delivered to a radiator is maximally increased if a flow rate control mode is determined to be a cooling mode in which a temperature of the coolant is greater than a reference temperature value.