Controlling the flow of a coolant fluid through a cooling system of an internal combustion engine

Abstract

Examples of techniques for controlling the flow of a coolant fluid through a cooling system of an internal combustion engine are disclosed. In one example implementation, a method includes calculating, by a processing device, a minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid for a zone of a cooling system of the internal combustion engine. The method further includes converting, by the processing device, the minimum zone flow rate into a desired actuator position for a flow control valve to enable the flow control valve to provide the minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid to the zone of the cooling system. The method further includes enabling, by the processing device, the flow control valve to change from a current actuator position to the desired actuator position.

1 . A computer-implemented method for controlling a flow of a coolant fluid through a cooling system of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
 calculating, by a processing device, a minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid for a zone of a cooling system of the internal combustion engine;   converting, by the processing device, the minimum zone flow rate into a desired actuator position for a flow control valve to enable the flow control valve to provide the minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid to the zone of the cooling system; and   enabling, by the processing device, the flow control valve to change from a current actuator position to the desired actuator position,   wherein an outlet of the flow control valve is in fluid communication with an inlet of a main rotary valve comprising a first outlet in fluid communication with a radiator bypass and a second outlet in fluid communication with a radiator.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid for the zone of the cooling system is based at least in part on a coolant fluid temperature at an inlet of the zone. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid for the zone of the cooling system is based at least in part on a heat flow in the zone. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the minimum zone flow rate based at least in part on ambient pressure information. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the zone of the cooling system is an engine head zone. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , further comprising revising the desired actuator position for the flow control valve based at least in part on a radiator flow rate. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein converting the minimum zone flow rate into a desired actuator position is based at least in part on an inverted flow model. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired actuator position is a percentage of opening of the flow control valve. 
     
     
         9 . A system for controlling a flow of a coolant fluid through a cooling system of an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:
 a memory comprising computer readable instructions; and   a processing device for executing the computer readable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:
 calculating, by the processing device, a minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid for a zone of a cooling system of the internal combustion engine; 
 converting, by the processing device, the minimum zone flow rate into a desired actuator position for a flow control valve to enable the flow control valve to provide the minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid to the zone of the cooling system; and 
 enabling, by the processing device, the flow control valve to change from a current actuator position to the desired actuator position, 
 wherein an outlet of the flow control valve is in fluid communication with an inlet of a main rotary valve comprising a first outlet in fluid communication with a radiator bypass and a second outlet in fluid communication with a radiator. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein calculating the minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid for the zone of the cooling system is based at least in part on a coolant fluid temperature at an inlet of the zone. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein calculating the minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid for the zone of the cooling system is based at least in part on a heat flow in the zone. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , the method further comprising adjusting the minimum zone flow rate based at least in part on ambient pressure information. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the zone of the cooling system is an engine head zone. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , the method further comprising revising the desired actuator position for the flow control valve based at least in part on a radiator flow rate. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein converting the minimum zone flow rate into a desired actuator position is based at least in part on an inverted flow model. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the desired actuator position is a percentage of opening of the flow control valve. 
     
     
         17 . A computer program product for controlling a flow of a coolant fluid through a cooling system of an internal combustion engine, the computer program product comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions executable by a processing device to cause the processing device to perform a method comprising:
 calculating, by the processing device, a minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid for a zone of a cooling system of the internal combustion engine; 
 converting, by the processing device, the minimum zone flow rate into a desired actuator position for a flow control valve to enable the flow control valve to provide the minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid to the zone of the cooling system; and 
 enabling, by the processing device, the flow control valve to change from a current actuator position to the desired actuator position, 
 wherein an outlet of the flow control valve is in fluid communication with an inlet of a main rotary valve comprising a first outlet in fluid communication with a radiator bypass and a second outlet in fluid communication with a radiator. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein calculating the minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid for the zone of the cooling system is based at least in part on a coolant fluid temperature at an inlet of the zone. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein calculating the minimum zone flow rate of the coolant fluid for the zone of the cooling system is based at least in part on a heat flow in the zone. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , the method further comprising adjusting the minimum zone flow rate based at least in part on ambient pressure information.