Delivery Device For Delivering And Heating A Medium

Abstract

A delivery device for delivering a medium and for heating the medium to be delivered, having a vehicle pump, an electric motor for driving the vehicle pump and a control unit for controlling the electric motor. For heating the medium in the vehicle pump, the control unit is designed to generate a first alternating electrical current in a conductor winding of the electric motor. This first alternating electrical current induces eddy currents in a component of the delivery device, by which the medium can be heated.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A delivery device configured to deliver and heat a medium for delivery, comprising: a vehicle pump; an electric motor configured to drive the vehicle pump and having at least one conductor winding; and a controller configured to control the electric motor and generate a first electrical alternating current with a first frequency in the at least one conductor winding; wherein eddy currents are induced in a component of the delivery device to heating the medium by the first electrical alternating current generated in the at least one conductor winding.

12. The delivery device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electric motor has a rotor and a stator; wherein the at least one conductor winding is arranged on the stator; and wherein the component of the delivery device is the stator of the electric motor.

13. The delivery device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to generate a second electrical alternating current with a second frequency in the at least one conductor winding to drive the electric motor; and wherein the second electrical alternating current generates a rotating field in the electric motor.

14. The delivery device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first frequency is between 500 Hz and 50 kHz.

15. The delivery device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the medium for delivery; wherein the controller is configured to generate the first electrical alternating current in the at least one conductor winding when the temperature of the medium to be delivered as measured by the temperature sensor differs from a predefined temperature threshold value.

16. The delivery device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the medium for delivery; wherein the controller is configured to detect a blockage of the electric motor; and wherein the controller is configured to generate the first electrical alternating current when the controller detects the blockage of the electric motor and the temperature of the medium is less than a predefined temperature threshold value.

17. A vehicle comprising a delivery device configured to deliver and heat a medium for delivery, having: a vehicle pump; an electric motor configured to drive the vehicle pump and having at least one conductor winding; and a controller configured to control the electric motor and generate a first electrical alternating current with a first frequency in the at least one conductor winding; wherein eddy currents are induced in a component of the delivery device to heating the medium by the first electrical alternating current generated in the at least one conductor winding, and wherein the vehicle pump is a fuel pump for delivering fuel for an internal combustion engine, or a urea solution pump.

18. A method for delivering and heating a medium by a delivery device having a pump that is driven by an electric motor, the method comprising: activating the pump to deliver the medium; generating a first electrical alternating current with a first frequency in at least one conductor winding of the electric motor; and inducing eddy currents in a component of the delivery device using the first electrical alternating current generated in the at least one conductor winding, whereby the medium is heated.

19. A program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium which, when executed by a controller of a delivery device, commands the controller to: activate a pump of the delivery device to deliver a medium; generate a first electrical alternating current with a first frequency in at least one conductor winding of an electric motor of the delivery device that drives the pump; and induce eddy currents in a component of the delivery device using the first electrical alternating current generated in the at least one conductor winding, whereby the medium is heated.

20. A nontransitory computer-readable medium on which there is stored a program element which, when executed by a controller of a delivery device, commands the controller to: activate a pump of the delivery device to deliver a medium; generate a first electrical alternating current with a first frequency in at least one conductor winding of an electric motor of the delivery device that drives the pump; and induce eddy currents in a component of the delivery device using the first electrical alternating current generated in the at least one conductor winding, whereby the medium is heated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] FIG. 1 is a delivery device according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0036] FIG. 2 is an electric motor according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0037] FIG. 3 is a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention; and

[0038] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0039] Here, the figures are illustrated schematically and not to scale.

[0040] FIG. 1 illustrates a delivery device 100 for delivering a medium and for heating the medium for delivery, as per an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The delivery device 100 has a vehicle pump 101, an electric motor 102 for driving the vehicle pump, and a controller 103 for controlling the electric motor. Here, the electric motor 102 has at least one conductor winding. FIG. 2 illustrates, by way of example, an enlarged view of the electric motor 102 with conductor windings. Furthermore, the controller 103 is designed to generate a first electrical alternating current with a first frequency in the at least one conductor winding, wherein the first electrical alternating current generated in the at least one conductor winding, eddy currents are induced in a component of the delivery device for the purposes of heating the medium.

[0041] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle pump 101 is designed as a gerotor pump or as a toothed-ring pump. Here, the driving toothed gear 104 runs eccentrically in the internal toothing 105 of the vehicle pump. The toothed gear 104 is driven by the electric motor 102. As a result of the rotation of the toothed gear 104, the medium is conveyed between the tooth spaces, whereby the medium is transported from an inlet 106 of the pump 101 to an outlet 107 of the pump 101 in the arrow direction 108. Here, the gerotor pump in this exemplary embodiment is merely an example and should not be regarded as restrictive. The invention may also be realized for numerous different pump types. Furthermore, the delivery device 101 has a temperature sensor 110 for measuring a temperature of the medium for delivery. The temperature sensor may for example be arranged at an outlet 107 of the vehicle pump 101. Furthermore, the temperature sensor may also be arranged within the pump 101, at the outlet 108 of the pump 101 or at other locations. Using the temperature sensor 110, the temperature of the medium for delivery can be ascertained; if the temperature of the medium for delivery is below a predefined threshold value, then the control unit 103 can generate the first alternating current in the conductor winding of the electric motor 102.

[0042] Furthermore, FIG. 1 illustrates a memory medium 109 in which, for example, a method that is carried out by the control unit can be stored. Furthermore, the predefined temperature threshold value may also be stored in the memory unit 109.

[0043] FIG. 2 illustrates an electric motor 102 as per an exemplary embodiment of the invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the electric motor 102 is illustrated as an external-rotor motor.

[0044] This is however merely an example and should not be regarded as being restrictive. The electric motor may equally be designed as an internal-rotor motor, or may be of some other construction. The rotor 201 in this exemplary embodiment comprises six rotor arms 203, which have in each case one conductor winding 204. As already described, the rotor of the electric motor 202 is arranged outside the stator 201 and is constructed for example from a permanently magnetic material. If a current is generated in the conductor windings 204 for the purposes of driving the electric motor, the magnetic fields generated in the conductor windings cause the rotor 202 to rotate about the stator 201. Furthermore, a first electrical alternating current can be generated in the conductor winding 204 by a control unit of the electric motor 102. Said first electrical alternating current generates high-frequency magnetic fields 205, which in turn can induce eddy currents in the iron components or lamination assemblies of the electric motor 102. For example, eddy currents are induced within the stator 201, which eddy currents are arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular to the magnetic fields 205. Said eddy currents in the stator 201 are illustrated by the arrow directions 206. The stator 201 can heat up owing to said eddy currents 206 or owing to remagnetization losses. The stator can release this heat to the medium delivered by the pump 101.

[0045] FIG. 3 illustrates a vehicle 300 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The vehicle has an internal combustion engine 301, a fuel tank 302 and a delivery device 100, which supplies fuel from the fuel tank 302 to the internal combustion engine 301. By way of example, the internal combustion engine 301 is a diesel engine. The delivery device 100 comprises a vehicle pump 101, an electric motor 102 for driving the pump and a control unit 103 for controlling the electric motor 102. Here, the control unit 103 may for example be a structural unit of the delivery device 100 or else part of the engine controller of the internal combustion engine 301. Furthermore, the control unit 103 may also have been retrofitted in the vehicle.

[0046] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow diagram of a method for heating a medium for delivery by a delivery device, which has a vehicle pump, driven by an electric motor, for delivering the medium, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Here, the method comprises the step S1 of generating a first electrical alternating current with a first frequency in at least one conductor winding of the electric motor, wherein by means of the first electrical alternating current generated in the at least one conductor winding, eddy currents are induced in a component of the delivery device, whereby the medium is heated.

[0047] It is additionally pointed out that the expressions “comprising” or “having” do not exclude other elements, and the expressions “a” or “an” do not rule out a multiplicity. It is also pointed out that features that have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments or embodiments may also be used in combination with other features of other above-described exemplary embodiments or embodiments. Reference designations in the claims are not to be regarded as being restrictive.

[0048] Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.