HYBRID ELECTROMECHANICAL COOLANT PUMP

摘要

The invention relates to a coolant pump having an impeller which is arranged on a pump impeller shaft and having a drive device for the impeller, which drive device has a mechanical drive and an electric-motor drive. The impeller shaft is divided into a driving section and a driven section, and an openable and closable clutch is arranged between the driving section and the driven section. Operation of the coolant pump by either the mechanical drive or the electric-motor drive can be dependent upon a predetermined speed of threshold of rotation of the impeller, and/or upon a predetermined power usage threshold.

主权项

1. A method for operating a cooling system for an internal combustion engine, the engine having a supply of a coolant liquid and an impeller on an impeller shaft for circulating the coolant liquid in the engine, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a coolant pump for rotating the impeller, said coolant pump having both a mechanical drive mechanism and an electrical drive mechanism; rotating the impeller shaft by said electrical drive mechanism when the speed of the impeller is below a predefined speed threshold; and rotating the impeller shaft by said mechanical drive mechanism when the speed of the impeller is above the predefined speed threshold.