Method for controlling a venting system

Abstract

A method for controlling a venting system, in particular a venting system for cooling electronic control devices. The venting system has a first ventilator and a second ventilator. The first ventilator is controlled via a first channel and the second ventilator is controlled via a second channel. The two ventilators are mechanically independent of each other and controlled separately from each other.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a venting system for cooling electronic control devices, the venting system including a first ventilator and a second ventilator, the method comprising the following steps: controlling the first ventilator via a first channel; and controlling the second ventilator via a second channel; wherein the first and second ventilators are mechanically independent of each other and are controlled separately from each other such that, in a first operating mode, the first ventilator is switched on via the first channel, with the second ventilator being off.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first ventilator is configured to push air into a cooling structure, and the second ventilator is configured to suck air out of the cooling structure.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, in a second operating mode, the first ventilator and the second ventilator are controlled via the first and second channels to be switched off.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein, in the first operating mode, the venting system is controlled in such a way that a cooling output of 34% is provided.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein, in the first operating mode, the venting system is controlled in such a way that a cooling output of 50% is provided.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, the first ventilator is configured to suck air out of the cooling structure and the second ventilator is configured to push air into a cooling structure.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein, in the first operating mode, the venting system is controlled in such a way that a cooling output of 66% is provided.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein, in the first operating mode, the venting system is controlled in such a way that a cooling output of 100% is provided.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, in a second operating mode, the first and second channels are used so that the first and second ventilators are both switched on.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein, in the second operating mode, the venting system is controlled in such a way that a cooling output of 100% is provided.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein, in the second operating mode, the venting system is controlled in such a way that a cooling output of 150% is provided.

12. A system configured to control a venting system for cooling electronic control devices, the venting system including a first ventilator and a second ventilator, the system comprising: a processor programmed to: control the first ventilator via a first channel; and control the second ventilator via a second channel; wherein the first and second ventilators are mechanically independent of each other and are controlled separately from each other such that, in a first operating mode, the first ventilator is switched on via the first channel, with the second ventilator being off.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the first ventilator is configured to push air into a cooling structure, and the second ventilator is configured to suck air out of the cooling structure.

14. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the first and second channels are controlled so that: in a second operating mode, the first and second ventilators are both off so that the venting system provides cooling output of 0%; in a third operating mode, the first and second ventilators are both on so that the venting system provides cooling output of 100%; and in a fourth operating mode, the first ventilator is off and the second ventilator is on so that the venting system provides cooling of 66%.

15. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the first and second channels are controlled so that: in a second operating mode, the first and second ventilators are both off so that the venting system provides cooling output of 0%; in a third operating mode, the first and second ventilators are both on so that the venting system provides cooling output of 150%; and in a fourth operating mode, the first ventilator is off and the second ventilator is on so that the venting system provides cooling of 100%.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a cooling system in a top view, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the cooling system from FIG. 1 in a side view.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a functional illustration of the described venting system, in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

(4) The present invention is schematically shown in the figures with the aid of embodiments and will be described in greater detail in the following text with reference to the figures.

(5) FIG. 1 shows a top view of a cooling system 10, which has a cooling structure 12 and is coupled with an active venting system 14. Venting system 14 includes a first ventilator 20 and a second ventilator 22, which are mechanically independent of each other and able to be controlled separately from each other.

(6) Active venting system 12 thus is made up of a cooling channel provided with two mechanically independent ventilators 20, 22 and their redundant controls via a first channel and a second channel. First ventilator 20 pushes cold air (arrows 30) into cooling structure 12, and second ventilator 22 sucks warm air (arrows 32) out of cooling structure 12.

(7) Cooling system 10 is shown in a side view in FIG. 2. The illustration shows cooling structure 12 and also first ventilator 20 and second ventilator 22 of venting system 14.

(8) By way of example, reference numeral 40 denotes an electrical component to be cooled in the circuit. Reference numeral 42 shows a heat-coupling element from component 40 into cooling system 10.

(9) FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of venting system 50, which includes a first ventilator 52 and a second ventilator 54. These ventilators 52 and 54 push air into or suck air out of cooling structure 60 (arrows 56 and 58).

(10) A first channel 62 having a first control 72 is allocated to first ventilator 52. Accordingly, a second channel 64 having a second control 74 is allocated to second ventilator 54. The two controls 72, 74 are able to be operated independently of each other.

(11) The configuration of the control(s) 72, 74 is designed in such a way that four operating modes are able to be realized:

(12) Variant A:

(13) TABLE-US-00001 Operating Channel Channel Cooling Modes 1 2 Capacity #1 off off 0% #2 on off 34% or error #3 off on 66% or error #4 on on 100%

(14) The thermal operating behavior must be configured in such a way that at a 34% cooling output, the system is still able to be brought to a safe state within a certain time.

(15) Variant B:

(16) TABLE-US-00002 Operating Channel Channel Cooling Modes 1 2 Capacity #1 off off 0% #2 on off 50% or error #3 off on 100% or error #4 on on 150%

(17) The indicated percentages relate to the maximum nominal capacity of the ventilators, a brief increase being possible.

(18) The different cooling outputs in the second and in the third operating modes result from the different capacities of the two ventilators.

(19) The thermal operating behavior must be configured in such a way that at a 50% cooling output, the system is still able to be brought to a safe state within a certain time. In addition, this system offers the advantage that certain thermal peaks by a cooling output of up to 150% are better able to be absorbed.

(20) The introduced method may basically be used in all fault-tolerant and actively cooled systems.