Claims:We Claim:
1. A device (10) to regulate a temperature of a coolant of an engine (12), said device (10) comprising:
- a flow meter (14) connected in fluid communication between with a heat exchanger (16) and a coolant unit (18);
- at least one valve (20) positioned in proximity to said flow meter (14);
- a control unit (22) connected to said flow meter (14) and said at least one valve (20);
said control unit (18) adapted to determine a flow rate of said coolant by operating said at least one valve (20) and to regulate said coolant temperature when determined flow rate is less than a predefined threshold value.

2. The device(10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flow rate of said coolant is determined for a predefined amount of time when said at least one valve (20) is any one of an open condition and a close condition.

3. The device (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one valve (20) is any one of a mechanical valve and an electronically controlled valve.

4. The device (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control unit (22) adapted to determine flow rates of said coolant flowing from said coolant unit (18) to said heat exchanger (16) and vice-versa.

5. The device (10) as claimed in claim 4, wherein said control unit (22) adapted to detect at least one malfunction in said at least one valve (20) and in said heat exchanger (16) based on said determined flow rates of said coolant flowing from said coolant unit (18) to said heat exchanger (16) and vice-versa.

6. The device (10) as claimed in claim 5, wherein said at least one malfunction in said at least one valve (20) is chosen from a group of malfunctions comprising an amount of foreign material deposited, a scaling/fouling factor developed, a percentage of stickiness.

7. The device (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control unit (22) adapted to close said at least one valve (20) until said temperature of said coolant reaches a predefined value.

8. A system (11) to regulate a temperature of a coolant of an engine (12) in a vehicle, said system (11) comprising :
- an engine (12) connected to a coolant unit (18) and a heat exchanger (16);
- at least one pipe (13) connected in fluid communication between said coolant unit (18) and said heat exchanger (16);
characterized in that:
- a device (10) comprising :
- a flow meter (14) connected in fluid communication between with a heat exchanger (16) and a coolant unit (18);
- at least one valve (20) positioned in proximity to said flow meter (14);
- a control unit (22) connected to said flow meter (16) and said at least one valve (20);
said control unit (22) adapted to determine a flow rate of said coolant by operating said at least one valve (20) and to regulate said coolant temperature when determined flow rate is less than a predefined threshold value.

9. The system (11) as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one fouling characteristic of said heat exchanger (16) is determined based on said flow rate of said coolant.

10. The system (11) as claimed in claim 9, wherein said at least one fouling characteristic is chosen from a group of characteristics comprising a heat exchange coefficient, a fouling factor.
, Description:Complete Specification:
The following specification describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
Field of the invention
[0001] This invention relates to a device to regulate a temperature of a coolant in an engine of a vehicle and a system thereof.

Background of the invention
[0002] A heat exchanger, such as an engine radiator is used for cooling engine of a vehicle. The coolant is any one of cooling water and an intake air that reduces the heat of the engine and is located within the engine room. Air at the vehicle front side is introduced in as cooling wind passing through the engine radiator for cooling the cooling water or the coolant. Heat exchangers are used in engine test facility, to regulate/control the coolant temperature and to cool charged air temperatures.

[0003] A Prior art document US6739290B2 discloses in a cooling system for a water-cooled internal combustion engine and a control method applicable to the control system, a pump to circulate a coolant to the water-cooled engine and a heat exchanger is drivingly controlled in such a manner that, when a temperature of the coolant detected by a temperature detector indicates a value higher than a predetermined target temperature, a flow state of the coolant circulated within a plurality of tubes arranged within the heat exchanger falls within a predetermined range including at least one of a transition range between a laminar flow range and a turbulence flow range .The coolant is circulated through the pump into the water-cooled engine and the heat exchanger by a predetermined flow quantity.

Brief description of the accompanying drawing
[0004] Different modes of the invention are disclosed in detail in the description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings:
[0005] Fig.1 illustrates a device to regulate a temperature of a coolant in an engine of a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and
[0006] Fig.2 illustrates a system to regulate a temperature of a coolant of an engine in a vehicle according to the present invention.

Detailed description of the embodiments
[0007] Fig.1 illustrates a device to regulate a temperature of a coolant in an engine of a vehicle accordance to an embodiment of the invention. The device 10 comprises a flow meter 14 connected in fluid communication between a heat exchanger 16 and a coolant unit 18 and at least one valve 20 positioned in proximity to the flow meter 14. The device 10 further comprises a control unit 22 in electronic communication with the flow meter 14 and the at least one valve 20. The control unit 22 adapted to determine a flow rate of the coolant by operating the at least one valve 20 and to regulate the coolant temperature when determined flow rate is less than a predefined threshold value.

[0008] Fig. 2 illustrates a system 11 to regulate a temperature of a coolant in an engine 12 of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The system 11 comprises an engine 12 connected to a coolant unit 18 and a heat exchanger 16. The system 11 comprises at least one pipe 13 connected in fluid communication between the coolant unit 18 and the heat exchanger 16. The system 11 comprises a device 10 having a flow meter 14 connected in fluid communication between with a heat exchanger 16 and a coolant unit 22. The device 10 comprises at least one valve 20 positioned in proximity (ie., upstream) to the flow meter 14 and a control unit 22 in electronic communication with the flow meter 14 and the at least one valve 20. The control unit 22 adapted to determine a flow rate of the coolant by operating the at least one valve 20 and to regulate the coolant temperature when the determined flow rate of coolant is less than a predefined threshold value.

[0009] Further the construction of the system 11 and the components of the system 11 is explained in detail. The coolant unit 18 comprises a tank (not shown) to store the coolant and a pump (not shown) to pump the coolant to the heat exchanger 16 via at least one pipe 13. The pipe is chosen from a group of pipes comprising a hose, a tube, an elongated structure and the like. The control unit 22 activates the pump to pump the coolant to reduce the engine heat. The coolant is chosen from a group of coolants comprising water, green-dyed antifreeze materials like low-silicate, ethylene glycol and the like. However, the types of the coolants is not restricted to the above –disclosed materials, but can be any type of coolant that efficiently reduces the heat of the engine 12 as known in the state of the art.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the at least one valve 20 is a mechanical valve that operates based on the flow of the coolant. The amount of coolant pumping from the coolant tank determines the percentage of opening of the valve. The pressure of the coolant operates the opening /closing the valve 22. According to another embodiment of the invention, the at least one valve 20 is electronically controlled by the control unit 22. The control unit 22 is chosen from a group of control unit comprising a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an integrated chip and a digital circuit. According to one embodiment of the invention, the control unit 22 is an engine control unit. The control unit 22 is adapted to operate the at least one valve 20 from an open state to a close state and vice-versa. During the start of the engine 12, the control unit 22 closes the at least one valve 20 until the coolant temperature reaches to a predefined temperature value. For instance, the control unit 22 closes the at least one valve 20 until the coolant temperature reaches 80 degrees, to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions.

[0011] The flow meter 14 determines the flow rate of the coolant flowing from the coolant unit 18 to the heat exchanger 16. Upon determining the flow rate of the coolant for a predefined amount of time, the flow meter 14 transmits the determined flow rate to the control unit 22. The control unit 22 determines at least one malfunction in the at least one valve 20 or determines at least one fouling characteristics of the heat exchanger 16. The at least one malfunction in the at least one valve 20 is chosen from a group of malfunctions comprising an amount of foreign material deposited, a percentage of stickiness and the like. The at least one malfunction in the heat exchanger is chosen from a group of malfunctions comprising a scaling/fouling factor developed, a foreign material deposited. It is to be understood that, the type of malfunction occurred in the at least one valve 20 and in heat exchanger 16 is not limited to above disclosed malfunctions.

[0012] The fouling characteristics of the heat exchanger 16 is chosen from a group of fouling characteristics comprising a heat exchange coefficient, a fouling factor and the like. For instance, the flow factor is a resistance developed in the heat exchanger 16 that impedes the coolant flow and increases pressure drop across the heat exchanger 16. According to one embodiment of the invention, each of the pipe structure 13 connecting the coolant unit 18 and the heat exchanger 16 comprises a corresponding flow meter 14 and at least one valve 20 in flow communication with the pipe structure 13.

[0013] A method of working of the above-disclosed device is explained as follows. The control unit 22 activates the pump in the coolant unit 18 to pump the coolant into the heat exchanger 16 via the flow meter 14 and the at least one valve 20. The flow rate of the coolant is determined for a predefined amount of time by the control unit 22. Based on the comparison of the flow rate received and predefined threshold values, the state of at least one valve 20 is determined. For instance, if there is an accumulation of the foreign material in the at least one valve 20, the flow rate of the coolant is reduced. When compared to the predefined threshold valve, the control unit 22 detects the malfunction in the at least one valve 20 (i.e., the accumulation of the foreign material). In another instance, the control unit 22 detects the percentage of stickiness developed in the valve 20, upon comparing the flow rate values of the coolant, when the coolant is made to pass from the coolant unit 18 to the heat exchanger 16 for a minimum of three trials.

[0014] To determine at least one fouling characteristics of the heat exchanger 16, the control unit 22 determines the flow rate in both the directions. The flow of the coolant from the coolant unit 18 and the heat exchanger 16 and vice-versa is detected by the flow meter 14 and is transmitted to the control unit 22. The fouling factor (resistance developed) is calculated by the flow rates determined by keeping the valve 20 completely open during the flow of the coolant for a predefined amount of time and completely close for the same amount of time .Based on the received flow rate values, the state of the heat exchanger 16 is determined. If the received flow rates is less than the predefined values, then the control unit 22 identifies the malfunction in the heat exchanger 16.

[0015] With the above disclosed device 10 and the method of working of the device 10, the state of the at least one valve and the heat exchanger 16 is determined efficiently. The device 10 is used in both of a test-bench setup and in an operating vehicle. An alert is generated at a dashboard of the operating vehicle, upon detecting a malfunction in the at least one valve 20 or the heat exchanger 16. A downtime in the test-bed is reduced by initiating a preventive/corrective maintenance of the heat exchanger 16 based on the determined flow rates.

[0016] It should be understood that embodiments explained in the description above are only illustrative and do not limit the scope of this invention. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiment explained in the description are envisaged. The scope of the invention is only limited by the scope of the claims.