Patent ID: 8430068

Claim:
A cooling system, comprising: a heat source; a heat exchanger; a coolant pump located between the heat exchanger and the heat source to direct coolant from the heat exchanger to the heat source; a valve located between the heat source and the heat exchanger, the valve being movable to vary a rate of coolant flow through the heat exchanger and around the heat exchanger to the coolant pump; a sensor located at an inlet of the heat source to generate a signal indicative of coolant temperature at the inlet; a memory storing software adapted to execute a plurality of different operating modes, wherein a predetermined start-up mode temperature and a predetermined regulated mode temperature range are stored in the memory, with the predetermined start-up mode temperature being less than a lower limit of the predetermined regulated mode temperature range; and a controller in communication with the valve, sensor and memory, the controller being configured to move the valve based on the temperature of the coolant at only the inlet of the heat source and the operating mode, wherein the plurality of different operating modes includes a start-up mode when the coolant temperature is less than the predetermined start-up mode temperature, in which the controller actuates the valve to a fixed, partially open position which causes a majority of the coolant to flow around the heat exchanger while some of the coolant flows through the heat exchanger for all coolant temperatures that are less than the predetermined start-up mode temperature, and a regulated mode when the coolant temperature is greater than the predetermined start-up mode temperature, in which the controller modulates a position of the valve to maintain the coolant temperature within the predetermined regulated mode temperature range; wherein the controller is programmed to initially operate in the start-up mode when the coolant temperature is less than the predetermined start-up mode temperature; and wherein the controller is programmed to switch from the start-up mode to the regulated mode when the coolant temperature is greater than the predetermined start-up mode temperature.