Method for operating a cooling system for a vehicle and cooling system

Abstract

A method for operating a cooling system for a vehicle, for example a rail vehicle, may include circulating a coolant in a first cooling circuit and in a second cooling circuit. A first heat source to be cooled may be arranged in the first cooling circuit and a second heat source to be cooled may be arranged in the second cooling circuit. The coolant may be circulated by pumping the coolant in the first cooling circuit via a first pumping device, and pumping the coolant in the second coolant circuit via a second pumping device. The first pumping device and the second pumping device may each be operated in a normal mode. The method may further include cooling the coolant via at least one cooling element arranged in at least one of the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit.

1 . A method for operating a cooling system for a vehicle, comprising:
 circulating a coolant in a first cooling circuit and in a second cooling circuit, wherein a first heat source to be cooled is arranged in the first cooling circuit and a second heat source to be cooled is arranged in the second cooling circuit;   cooling the coolant via at least one cooling element arranged in at least one of the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit;   wherein circulating the coolant includes pumping the coolant in the first cooling circuit via a first pumping device arranged in the first cooling circuit and pumping the coolant in the second coolant circuit via a second pumping device arranged in the second cooling circuit;   wherein the first pumping devices and the second pumping device are each operated in a normal mode; and   in response to a first emergency mode in which the second pumping device provides an at least reduced pumping capacity, branching off the coolant from the second cooling circuit downstream of the second heat source and pumping the coolant via the first pumping device and returning the coolant to the second cooling circuit upstream of the second heat source.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further including, in response to a second emergency mode in which the first pumping device provides an at least reduced pumping capacity, branching off the coolant from the first cooling circuit downstream of the first heat source and pumping the coolant via the second pumping device and returning the coolant to the first cooling circuit upstream of the first heat source. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , that further including, in response to a support mode in which a temperature of the coolant in one of the first cooling circuits and the second cooling circuit upstream of the appurtenant one of the first heat source and the second heat source increases above a predefined value, pumping the coolant in the one of the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit with the temperature increase of the coolant via the appurtenant one of the first pumping device and the second pumping device arranged in the other one of the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit. 
     
     
         4 . A cooling system for a vehicle, comprising:
 a first cooling circuit and a second cooling circuit, wherein a coolant circulates in the first cooling circuit and in the second cooling circuit;   a first heat source to be cooled arranged in the first cooling circuit;   a second heat source to be cooled arranged in the second cooling circuit;   a first pumping device arranged in the first cooling circuit for pumping the coolant;   a second pumping device arranged in the second cooling circuit for pumping the coolant;   at least one cooling element arranged in at least one of the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit for cooling the coolant;   a branch line providing a fluidic connection between the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit upstream of the first pumping device and upstream of the second pumping device and downstream of the second heat source;   a first return line providing a fluidic connection between the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit, wherein the first return line branches off from the first cooling circuit downstream of the first pumping device and opens into the second cooling circuit upstream of the second heat sources;   a valve for regulating a flow of coolant arranged in the first return line; and   in response to a first emergency mode in which the second pumping device provides an at least reduced pumping capacity, the coolant is branched off from the second cooling circuit downstream of the second heat source and pumped via the first pumping device then returned to the second cooling circuit upstream of the second heat source.   
     
     
         5 . The cooling system according to  claim 4 , further comprising a second return line providing a fluidic connection between the second cooling circuit and the first cooling circuit, wherein the second return line branches off from the second cooling circuit downstream of the second pumping device and opens into the first cooling circuit downstream of the first heat source, and wherein another valve for regulating a flow of the coolant is arranged in the second return line. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling system according to  claim 4 , further comprising an other valve arranged in the second cooling circuit downstream of the second pumping device and upstream of the first return line, wherein the other valve is configured to prevent flow of the coolant from the first return line to the second pumping device. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling system according to  claim 4 , further comprising another a valve for regulating the flow of the coolant arranged in the branch line. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling system according to  claim 4 , the valve is configured as a non-return valve. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling system according to  claim 4 , further comprising a control device configured communicate control commands. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling system according to  claim 4 , further comprising at least one pressure-equalizing container for equalizing a pressure in the coolant. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling system according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one pressure-equalizing container includes a first pressure equalizing container and a second pressure equalizing container, wherein the first pressure equalizing container is for the first cooling circuit and the second pressure equalizing container is for the second cooling circuit. 
     
     
         12 . The cooling system according to  claim 4 , wherein the branch line is located upstream of the at least one cooling element. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling system according to  claim 4 , further comprising a throttle device for regulating a flow of the coolant arranged in at least one of the branch line and the first return lines. 
     
     
         14 . The cooling system according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one cooling for cooling the coolant is common to both of the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit. 
     
     
         15 . The cooling system according to  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first heat source and the second heat source is a component of a rail vehicle, and wherein the first emergency mode is when the second pumping device fails. 
     
     
         16 . The cooling system according to  claim 5 , further comprising a throttle valve for regulating a flow of the coolant arranged in the second return line. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein circulating the coolant includes cooling the first heat source and the second heat source, and wherein at least one of the first heat source and the second heat source is a component of a rail vehicle; and
 wherein the first emergency mode is when the second pumping device fails.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising regulating a flow of the coolant through the first cooling circuit via a valve. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising regulating a flow of the coolant through the second cooling circuit via a valve arranged in the second cooling circuit configured to prevent flow of the coolant from the first return line to the second pumping device. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising equalizing a pressure of the coolant via at least one pressure-equalizing container.