Quote:
Originally Posted by stephenson
What if tstats had evolved the same way - imagine a sensor based electric system that measured water in 3-5different places, also using inputs from other thermal sensors and position sensors to anticipate loads so that as you start up a hill, the tstat opens in advance of the load -maintaining temp +/- 1 degree ALL THE TIME. If it is gonna be electric, why not make the coolant pump electric, too (I think this is already in the works with move to higher voltage systems) - and then the pump could work with the sensor system and the tstat to completely control thermal issues without belt drive - it could even operate off the battery when the belt does through itself .... pretty cool!
|
They're working on that now.... automakers are trying to get every last bit of MPG out of their big engines (one day they will figure out small displacement and turbos....), and the system you've described is one of those efforts. Why take HP (as little as it is) to pump water when you don't need to? IIRC, a big beneifit of an electric water pump is also to allow the engine to warm up quicker (and that is an emissions requirement).
Actually, I think there is a production vehicle with an electric water pump already... the Colorado maybe? Don't know if it has any funky control algorithm though.