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SAE TECHNICAL
PAPER SERIES 1999-01-0238

Thermomanagement
Frank Melzer, Ullrich Hesse,
Gerta Rocklage and Manfred Schmitt
Robert Bosch GmbH, Germany

International Congress and Exposition

Detroit, Michigan
March 1-4, 1999

400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001 U.S.A. Tel: (724) 776-4841 Fax: (724) 776-5760
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ISSN 0148-7191
Copyright 1999 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.

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Frank Melzer, Ullrich Hesse, Gerta Rocklage and Manfred Schmitt
Copyright © 1999 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.
ABSTRACT
Today´s automotive cooling systems are designed for the
highest necessary heat rejection. This operating state is
reached only during 3-5% of the operating time. Thus in
most cases the thermal situation is subcritical and the
engine is overcooled. Under these operating conditions a
demand-responsive engine cooling system promises a
high potential for saving energy, increased passenger
comfort and environmental compatibility. To realize this
potential new components and control strategies are
needed. The present paper shows the potential of a
demand-responsive cooling system. The requirements of
the system and its components will be specified. The
realization of this new cooling concept and experimental
results regarding reduction of fuel consumption and also
on improved driving comfort will be presented.
INTRODUCTION
Engine cooling is an important task in an automobile with
the main requirement being to reject excess heat from
the engine in order to achieve an optimum temperature
level. By achieving a high temperature level shortly after
start of the engine, exhaust emissions can be reduced.
Heating of the passenger compartment is another impor-
tant issue, particularly with recent engines which are
highly efficient and thus frequently not generating enough
heat.
State-of-the-art engine cooling systems allow the control
of the coolant temperature only by expansion-element
thermostats. The development trends in automotive
industry include the replacement of mechanically driven
control systems by electronic control units (e.g. engine
management, drive train management) and the tendency
in engine design to omit drive belts for engine auxiliaries.
This leads as a logical consequence to an electronic con-
trol of the engine cooling system based on an electrically
driven coolant pump.
This paper presents such an electronically controlled
cooling system, which is called Thermomanagement
System. It controls the heat flow in the engine cooling
and heating system of a car and sets priorities for the
heat flow distribution between the different heat sinks and
1
1999-01-0238
Thermomanagement
Robert Bosch GmbH, Germany
heat sources of a car. The main goals of such a system
are:
• reduced fuel consumption
• minimization of exhaust gas emissions
• increased passenger comfort.
From the system approach the paper will derive the
requirements for the components such as the electrically
driven water pump. This will be the new key component
of future cooling systems helping to build even more fuel
efficient, environmentally benign and comfortable cars.
Different approaches to realize Thermomanagement
Systems with control of heat and fluid flow in the engine
cooling circuit can be found in the literature. As stated
above the expansion-element realizes the distribution of
flow through radiator and bypass branch. Set value is the
fluid temperature inside the thermostat. With this device
only one temperature level can be realized. An obvious
solution is the implementation of variable temperature
levels in the expansion-element thermostat. This
approach is described by [1]. The engine cooling system
is controlled by computer mapping. In the genuine ther-
mostat the opening characteristic is influenced only by
the fluid temperature, whereas in the controlled system
the expansion-element can be heated electrically to influ-
ence its position and adjust the distribution of the volume
flows and accordingly the temperature level. This system
was implemented together with a mechanical water
pump. This configuration can be a first step towards fully
controlling the heat fluxes in the system, which means
adjusting not only the distribution but also the total flow
rate. Such a system will need a demand-responsive elec-
tric water pump. An example for a cooling circuit with an
electric water pump and thermostat is realized by [2]. For
this concept evaporative cooling is tolerated. An experi-
mental realization of a cooling concept with an electric
water pump and a valve instead of the expansion-ele-
ment thermostat is shown by [3].
So far only a few innovative cooling concepts have been
realized in vehicles. Nevertheless simulations were done,
to evaluate the benefits of modified cooling circuits. The
potential of different measures to improve cooling sys-
tems is summarized in [4].
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Further steps towards an innovative engine cooling con-
cept with controllable components are described in the
present paper.
COMPONENTS OF A THERMOMANAGEMENT
SYSTEM
Figure 1 shows specific fuel consumption versus the
coolant temperature for different loads. Especially under
idling and part-load conditions the specific fuel consump-
tion is reduced by increasing coolant temperature. Tem-
perature levels of recent automotive systems are in the
range of 90 to 100 °C. While at full load only minor tem-
perature increase can be accepted due to increasing
emissions with higher temperatures and technical restric-
tions such as material properties, the temperatures at
idle and part-load can be increased by 10 to 20 °C even
with recent engine designs. Especially in this range sig-
nificant reductions of fuel consumption can be expected.
An expansion element thermostat which is commonly
used in today’s cars will not be able to realize different
temperature levels during operation depending on load.
Figure 1. Specific fuel consumption versus coolant
temperature for different load conditions
A significant portion of the fuel consumption and the
emissions of a car occurs during start-up under cold-start
conditions. The reduction of the time necessary to reach
a high enough operation temperature can reduce fuel
consumption and emissions.
Figure 2. Effect of Thermomanagement on engine
warm-up
2
Figure 2 shows the coolant temperature versus the time
typical for a MVEG driving test. The MVEG driving cycle
consists of a city cycle (ECE) and an extra urban driving
cycle (EUDC). The desired effect of a Thermomanage-
ment System is a faster increase of coolant temperature.
Recently developed highly efficient engines such as die-
sel direct injection and gasoline direct injection engines
do not produce sufficient heat for passenger compart-
ment heating. Especially during cold-start conditions this
might also increase the risk for passengers’ safety due to
weak windshield defrost. A better management of the
heat flow for the passenger cabin should be provided by
a Thermomanagement System.
However this leads to a conflict of interests since the lim-
ited amount of heat must be provided to the engine itself
for quick heat-up as well as for the passenger compart-
ment for increased passenger comfort and safety. Thus
Thermomanagement includes not only the control of
such a system but also the need to set priorities in a most
efficient way by controlling all volume flows and tempera-
tures within the car’s engine cooling and heating system.
Therefore components offering controllability to the Ther-
momanagement System are needed. These components
include electric water pumps, electric radiator fans, elec-
trically actuated valves, electronic control units and also
all the elements of an engine cooling and passenger
compartment heating system.
Figure 3. Components of a Thermomanagement
System
Figure 3 shows a variety of components from a Thermo-
management System. The coolant passes the cylinder
block and head of an engine, which are the main heat
sources of the system. While for common engine designs
cooling systems get only limited attention, future engines
might be equipped with more sophisticated cooling strat-
egies like split-cooling systems, allowing separately con-
trolled flow through the cylinder block and the cylinder
head. This would have the advantage of optimized tem-
peratures for the different sections of an engine including
the option of minimum friction due to high temperatures
in the cylinder and crankshaft section. On the other hand
lower temperatures in the cylinder head provide high per-
formance and a safety margin with respect to anti-knock
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quality. The coolant flow is driven by an electric main
water pump, thus providing a coolant flow rate indepen-
dent from engine speed. Supplementary water pumps
may provide separate heat flow through parts of the heat-
ing system or new water-cooled engine auxiliaries, such
as, water-cooled starter/alternators. The radiator is used
for rejection of the engine heat. This heat rejection
depends on the coolant flow on one hand and the air flow
rate on the other hand. Potential for a reduction of power
consumption will be offered by optimizing fan speed and
water pump speed. If at higher car velocities the ram-air
exceeds the necessary air flow rate, a radiator shutter
might be used for improved temperature control of the
engine compartment. The engine cooling circuit will be
separated in different branches including those used for
additional auxiliaries like water cooled starter/alternators,
latent-heat accumulators, auxiliary heating systems or
emission heat exchangers. To control the volume flow
through the different branches of the cooling circuit elec-
trically actuated valves or additional electric pumps will
be necessary.
Options for controllers of the Thermomanagement Sys-
tem include a separate controller only for the Thermo-
management System, the implementation in the climate
control module or the implementation into the engine
management control unit.
TARGETS OF A THERMOMANAGEMENT
SYSTEM
A main target of the Thermomanagement System is a
reduction of the fuel consumption by optimizing the cool-
ant flow. While mechanically driven water pumps in
recent systems provide coolant flow depending only on
the engine speed, electrically driven water pumps make it
possible to optimize the flow rate. The reduced flow rate
also reduces the pressure drop and thus reduces the
overall power necessary to drive the electric water pump
typically to a level less than the power consumption of a
mechanically driven pump. An electric driven pump has
no need of a direct mount at the engine, therefore
improved tubing and flanging to the motor is possible
thus additionally reducing the pressure drop.
A higher potential for fuel consumption reduction can be
obtained by optimizing the engine temperature. Higher
temperature will reduce friction losses. High tempera-
tures are critical at high load conditions. So today’s sys-
tems limit the temperature to only one rather low
temperature level independent of the load. A new Ther-
momanagement System allows operation at temperature
levels optimized for the actual load condition.
Optimization of the engine temperature level can of
course be realized with the conventional pump by merely
replacing the expansion element thermostat with a con-
trollable valve. Nevertheless full flexibility of the system
can be only achieved by a water pump which can be
operated independently of tengine speed. Electric water
pumps provide this flexibility. Furthermore they provide
3
full-safety by quickly increasing volume flow in anticipa-
tion of high temperatures, if engine load increases sud-
denly.
A high potential for fuel consumption reduction exists at
cold-start. Quick heat-up of engine and especially the
engine oil will reduce fuel consumption significantly.
Thermomanagement can help to reduce heat flow from
the engine. More complex systems may include heat
accumulators or auxiliary heating systems improving
quick heat-up of the engine. Control by a Thermo-
management System is necessary.
A further target of a Thermomanagement System is to
improve the driving comfort for the passenger. With an
electrically driven water pump operated independently at
the engine speed high volume and heat flow through the
passenger compartment heat exchanger can be provided
even after engine shut-down. This feature will avoid
annoying noises from motor cooling fans after shut-down
of hot engines. Water-side controlled heating system of a
Thermomanagement further improves the passenger’s
comfort.
Future advantages coming with the Thermomanagement
System are the options for enhanced engine design.
Individual cooling of cylinder head and block will improve
the fuel efficiency even further while at the same time the
performance of the engine can be improved. The omis-
sion of a mechanically driven water pump together with
new concepts for alternator, air-conditioning compressor
and power-steering will omit any belt-driven auxiliaries,
so beltless engines become possible.
TEST VEHICLE
In order to investigate a Thermomanagement System
and identify further potential for optimization a test vehi-
cle was equipped with a Thermomanagement System at
Robert Bosch GmbH. The first target of this project was
to identify a concept for such a Thermomanagement Sys-
tem. Further targets were the realization of the Ther-
momanagement in the test vehicle for testing and
investigation. General functionality should be proven and
measurements of fuel consumption and warm-up
behavior should be performed. This should serve as a
basis for the identification of further optimization poten-
tial.
A small sized city car was used with an engine below the
1,4 liter range with a maximum heat rejection of approxi-
mately 20 kW. The car was equipped with a very basic
cooling and heating system without supplementary
heater, supplementary heat exchangers or heat accu-
mulators and without any water-cooled engine auxiliaries
or separate cooling cycles. Furthermore no air-condi-
tioning system was installed in the car.
The conventional cooling system included a belt-driven
water pump with the coolant pump speed directly propor-
tional to the engine speed. The coolant flow rate was not
adjustable. The temperature was controlled by an expan-
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sion-element thermostat. For most running conditions the
engine was therefore over-cooled resulting in a high
lubricant viscosity.
MODIFICATIONS
Figure 4. New coolant circuit for Thermomanagement
The modifications of the cooling circuit are shown in Fig-
ure 4. The engine is the heat source of the cycle. The
main branch of the cooling circuit includes the radiator
and the electric pump. A bypass is used to avoid fluid cir-
culation through the radiator to minimize heat losses dur-
ing warm-up of the engine or if only limited heat rejection
is needed. Electrically actuated proportional valves in
both the bypass branch and the radiator branch allow
control of the flow. Flow rate is determined by the speed
of the electrically driven pump. A third valve controls the
flow through the passenger compartment heater core.
Temperature sensors are used for optimized control. All
electrically actuated components are controlled by an
electronic control unit which was integrated into the
Bosch electronic motor control unit.
Figure 5. Modification of coolant inlet and outlet.
Replacement of the mechanical water pump
by an end plate.
Figure 5 depicts the engine with an end plate manufac-
tured to replace the mechanically driven water pump. It
includes the coolant outlet and the coolant inlet. Omis-
sion of the mechanically driven water pump allowed
improved coolant flow and minimized pressure drop at
this section of the coolant circuit. This picture also gives
an impression how a beltless engine might look like.
4
SELECTION OF WATER PUMP – For the selection of
the electric driven water pump there was a variety of dif-
ferent pumps already available. This included pumps for
series production as supplementary water pumps as well
as experimental prototypes for different applications. The
most important criterion for the selection of the pump is
the pressure drop volume flow behavior.
Figure 6. Pressure drop versus flow rate characteristic
for selection of the electric water pump
Figure 6 shows a diagram of pressure drop versus vol-
ume flow with the characteristic of the test vehicle´s cool-
ing circuit, here still in the non-optimized version with
high pressure drop and still including the expansion-ele-
ment thermostat with its additional high pressure drop.
Based on numerical simulations of the new cooling circuit
a significantly smaller pump could be selected. The
hydraulic characteristic of this smaller pump is shown in
Figure 6. With this low hydraulic power requirements also
the input power, needed to drive the pump, was small.
The pump consumes approximately 100 electrical Watts.
Figure 7. Wiring diagram of the Thermomanagement
System
As stated above, control and setting of priorities is the
most important target of a Thermomanagement System.
This will be performed by the electronic control incorpo-
rated into the engine control unit. Figure 7 gives a wiring
diagram. While this is a system for the experimental test
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vehicle future systems might be operated with a reduced
number of temperature sensors and more simplified
valves.
CONCEPT OF CONTROLLER – The electronic control
unit gets information from the temperature sensors seen
in Figure 8 and also the necessary information about
engine load, speed and desired torque. Control functions
include warm-up procedure, keeping a minimum level of
volume flow, control of the engine temperature, control-
ling the temperature gradient between coolant inlet and
outlet of the engine and providing passenger comfort
heating. Figure 8 shows the structure of the controller
with different control targets and resulting outputs.
Figure 8. Controller structure for Thermomanagement
System
To identify improvements in the passenger compartment
heating system warm-up from -8°C in the MVEG cycle
has been performed. Also heating performance with
warm engine has been investigated.
Significant reduction of pressure drop losses was
obtained from the optimized end plate which can be seen
in Figure 5. This resulted in a pressure drop reduction for
the motor including block and cylinder head from 0,27 bar
to 0,17 bar. Additional improvements in terms of minimiz-
ing the pressure drop were realized by replacing the ther-
mostat valve with a pressure drop up to 0,3 bar by flow
optimized electric actuated valves with pressure drops in
the range of 0,02 bar. Higher hydraulic efficiency of the
electrically driven water pump compared to the mechani-
cally driven water pump was obtained by optimized flow
conditions of the electric pump. This results in about the
same efficiency of the mechanical pump as an electrical
pump with all its energy conversions in the efficiency
chain.
Measurements of fuel consumption resulted in reductions
in the 5% range. These reductions in fuel consumption
are based on both the hydraulic improvements described
above and the higher engine temperatures at part load
conditions.
Improvements of the heating behavior can be seen from
Figure 9 where the temperature versus time behavior is
shown for the car with and without Thermomanagement
System.

Coordination of these control targets is necessary and

performed by the Thermomanagement System control
unit resulting in output signals for the control actuators in
particular the pump and the different electrically actuated
valves. The concept includes a minimum flow rate to
avoid so called hot spots inside the engine. Besides the
temperature level of the engine, which is 90 °C during
full-load and up to 110°C for part-load conditions, the
temperature difference between coolant inlet and outlet
must be kept below a critical value.

TESTS AND RESULTS Figure 9. Improvement in passenger comfort due to the

Measurements have been performed to provide neces-
sary data about the system such as volume flow, pres-
sure drop and temperature levels. System performance
has been evaluated with different stationary and driving
tests.
The main target of the investigation was to identify the
possible reduction of fuel consumption due to the Ther-
momanagement System. First the car in base-line con-
figuration, without the Thermomanagement System was
tested and fuel consumption was evaluated in the MVEG
driving cycle test. Both warm start and cold start condi-
tions were investigated.
Thermomanagement System
The driving conditions were those of sudden transient
from higher speed to idling as it occurs at traffic lights.
While the base line system showed lower air outlet tem-
peratures and thus lower heating performance even at
the high speed conditions, significant reduction of tem-
perature of outlet air can be seen after transfer into idling.
With a Thermomanagement System heat flow to the heat
exchanger can be improved, providing temperature at
higher levels, and can be obtained in a more constant
level even at idle conditions. Significant improvement of
comfort based on a Thermomanagement System with an
electrically driven pump is obvious.

5
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POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS REFERENCES

The increase in engine coolant temperature and 1. Kennfeldgesteuertes Temreraturregelsystem für

reduction of coolant flow rate were on the conservative Motor-kühlkreisläufe,
side in this test vehicle, offering potential for further Saur, R.; Leu, P.; Lemberger, H.; Huemer, G.,
improvements. The engine control system was not modi- MTZ 57 (1996) 7/8
fied to serve the higher operation conditions. Further 2. Valeo optimise la gestion thermique et electrique ...
optimization might be possible. Since only an experi- et reduit la consumation de carburant,
mental prototype of an electrically driven pump was Fisita Innovations, Equipements 54, 1998
used, further improvement of the pump itself and its elec- 3. Potential of the Modular Engine Cooling Concept,
tric motor are already shown. A wide variety of different Bernard, L.; Elia, C.; Ferrari, A.; Mazzeri, M.,
additional measures exists, such as including supple- in Wärmemanagement des Kraftfahrzeug,
mentary components within the cycle or improving con- Editor: Deußen, N., Expert Verlag, 1998
trol of the system and its components to further improve 4. Beitrag der Motorkühlung zur Reduzierung des Kraft-
such a very basic trial system. Many of those compo- stoff-verbrauchs,
nents are already shown in Figure 3. Ambros, P., in Wärmemanagement des Kraftfahr-
zeug,
Editor: Deußen, N., Expert Verlag, 1998
CONCLUSION

A Thermomanagement System can reduce fuel con-

sumption by optimizing coolant flow and engine tempera-
ture. With Thermomanagement a faster warm-up of the
engine can be achieved, which is important not only in
the interest of reduced fuel consumption but also in the
interest of reduced emissions. The driver will experience
improved comfort due to higher heat flows to the pas-
senger compartment and options such as heating even
after engine shut-down or controlled coolant flow after
engine shut-down to avoid annoying noise from the motor
cooling fans. Additionally flexibility is obtained for engine
design, e.g. in spatial requirements by avoiding the belt.
A city car was equipped with a Thermomanagement Sys-
tem at Robert Bosch GmbH. The feasibility was verified
and fuel consumption reductions in the 5% range were
achieved. Heating performance was improved. Further
potential for optimization was identified.
The investigation of a Thermomanagement System
showed that regulating the engine temperature indepen-
dent of engine speed and thus optimizing the heat flux
distribution in the vehicle will reveal the full potential of
Thermomanagement. This leads in consequence to the
conclusion, that the electrically driven water pump, actua-
tor valves and the controller will be the key component for
future cooling systems.