Abstract: A control system for minimizing the flow rate and energy consumption of a water pump in a vehicle. The control system and method correlate a climate thermal load value with the temperature of the coolant in a climate control cooling circuit. A correlation is performed by mapping the inputs to a desired pump flow rate that is determined to be necessary at a minimum to provide adequate cooling for the engine and for air conditioning or heating the vehicle.

Abstract: A cooling system for an internal combustion engine in a vehicle comprises a variable-speed coolant pump for providing a coolant flow to a plurality of heat-transfer nodes coupled in a coolant loop with the pump. Each node generates a flow rate request based on an operating state of the node. The coolant loop is configurable to a plurality of restriction states. A pump controller receives the flow rate requests, maps each respective flow request to a pump flow rate that would produce the respective pump flow rate request, selects a largest mapped pump flow rate, identifies a restriction state in which the coolant loop is configured, selects a pump speed in response to the selected flow rate and the identified restriction state, and commands operation of the pump to produce the selected pump speed.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting the operation of an electric coolant pump in a hybrid vehicle system. During vehicle compression braking conditions, a motor propels the vehicle while the engine spins un-fueled to absorb torque. During such conditions, the coolant pump is operated based on the absorbed torque to maintain an engine temperature within a threshold.

Abstract: Methods and devices for controlling a vehicle electric coolant pump include operating the coolant pump at a speed to provide a desired coolant flow based on a temperature difference between an engine coolant inlet temperature and an engine coolant outlet temperature. A hybrid vehicle having an engine and an electric water pump includes a controller that controls water pump speed to provide coolant flow based on a differential temperature between an engine coolant inlet and an engine coolant outlet. Pump speed may also be controlled based on engine speed and load. Control of an electric water pump based on temperature difference, engine speed, and load may result in faster engine warm up and reduce pump power consumption.

Abstract: A torque management strategy for an HEV having an engine operating with a fixed throttle position to better manage NVH while the vehicle is stationary or decelerating and the engine is generating more torque than a requested torque uses excess engine torque to charge the battery until the requested torque is below a torque loss threshold. Partial fuel injector cut off is avoided to reduce or eliminate associated NVH by adjusting a misfire torque limit to the expected or estimated engine torque produced during operation at the fixed throttle position until the requested torque results in complete fuel cut off to all cylinders.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting the operation of an electric coolant pump in a hybrid vehicle system. During vehicle compression braking conditions, a motor propels the vehicle while the engine spins un-fueled to absorb torque. During such conditions, the coolant pump is operated based on the absorbed torque to maintain an engine temperature within a threshold.

Abstract: Methods and devices for controlling a vehicle electric coolant pump include operating the coolant pump at a speed to provide a desired coolant flow based on a temperature difference between an engine coolant inlet temperature and an engine coolant outlet temperature. A hybrid vehicle having an engine and an electric water pump includes a controller that controls water pump speed to provide coolant flow based on a differential temperature between an engine coolant inlet and an engine coolant outlet. Pump speed may also be controlled based on engine speed and load. Control of an electric water pump based on temperature difference, engine speed, and load may result in faster engine warm up and reduce pump power consumption.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting the operation of an electric coolant pump in a hybrid vehicle system. During vehicle compression braking conditions, a motor propels the vehicle while the engine spins un-fueled to absorb torque. During such conditions, the coolant pump is operated based on the absorbed torque to maintain an engine temperature within a threshold.

Abstract: A cooling system for an internal combustion engine in a vehicle comprises a variable-speed coolant pump for providing a coolant flow to a plurality of heat-transfer nodes coupled in a coolant loop with the pump. Each node generates a flow rate request based on an operating state of the node. The coolant loop is configurable to a plurality of restriction states. A pump controller receives the flow rate requests, maps each respective flow request to a pump flow rate that would produce the respective pump flow rate request, selects a largest mapped pump flow rate, identifies a restriction state in which the coolant loop is configured, selects a pump speed in response to the selected flow rate and the identified restriction state, and commands operation of the pump to produce the selected pump speed.

Abstract: A cooling system for an internal combustion engine in a vehicle comprises a variable-speed coolant pump and a plurality of heat-transfer nodes coupled in a coolant loop with the pump. Each node generates a flow rate request based on an operating state of the node. A pump controller receives the flow rate requests, maps each respective flow request to a total pump flow rate that would produce the respective pump flow rate request, selects a largest mapped pump flow rate, and commands operation of the pump to produce the selected flow rate.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adjusting the operation of an electric coolant pump in a hybrid vehicle system. During vehicle compression braking conditions, a motor propels the vehicle while the engine spins un-fueled to absorb torque. During such conditions, the coolant pump is operated based on the absorbed torque to maintain an engine temperature within a threshold.

Abstract: A torque management strategy for an HEV having an engine operating with a fixed throttle position to better manage NVH while the vehicle is stationary or decelerating and the engine is generating more torque than a requested torque uses excess engine torque to charge the battery until the requested torque is below a torque loss threshold. Partial fuel injector cut off is avoided to reduce or eliminate associated NVH by adjusting a misfire torque limit to the expected or estimated engine torque produced during operation at the fixed throttle position until the requested torque results in complete fuel cut off to all cylinders.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for engine torque control. Mutually exclusive airflow adjustments and spark adjustments are used to provide accurate engine torque control when operating near combustion stability limits. Torque offset values and proportional-integral control terms are adjusted responsive to tip-in/tip-out events to improve torque control response times.

Abstract: A control system for minimizing the flow rate and energy consumption of a water pump in a vehicle. The control system and method correlate a climate thermal load value with the temperature of the coolant in a climate control cooling circuit. A correlation is performed by mapping the inputs to a desired pump flow rate that is determined to be necessary at a minimum to provide adequate cooling for the engine and for air conditioning or heating the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for engine torque control. Mutually exclusive airflow adjustments and spark adjustments are used to provide accurate engine torque control when operating near combustion stability limits. Torque offset values and proportional-integral control terms are adjusted responsive to tip-in/tip-out events to improve torque control response times.