Patent ID: 6216645
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: F01P,F04D

Abstract:
A method for controlling a coolant pump of an internal combustion engine, the coolant pump being run by an electromotor, with an amount of heat to be discharged being determined from at least one engine operation parameter and a control signal for a scheduled rotational speed of the coolant pump being generated by means of pulse-width modulation depending on the amount of heat to be discharged, including the following steps:a) determining whether said control signal falls outside of a predetermined setpoint signal range;b) performing an emergency program for the coolant pump if said signal was determined to have fallen outside the predetermined setpoint signal range in step a) wherein the emergency program provides that a current supplied to the electromotor of the coolant pump causes actuators to open and close, so as to intermittently supply current to said electromotor in the event that the speed measuring device detects no rotation of said electromotor.;c) adjusting the speed of the coolant pump as a result of the generated signal for the setpoint speed if in step a) said control signal was determined to be within said predetermined setpoint signal range.