A novel pump pressure limiting method for preventing coolant in a cooling system
from reaching pressures that exceed predetermined system coolant pressure limits.
The method includes reducing the system coolant pressure, as needed to prevent
system over-pressurization, by reducing the operational speed of a coolant pump
used to pump the coolant through the system. In one embodiment, the system coolant
pressure is determined directly, by measurement of the pressure of the coolant
in the system typically using pressure sensors. The operational speed of the coolant
pump is then reduced until the system coolant pressure decreases to within the
predetermined pressure limits. In another embodiment, the system pressure is determined
indirectly, by obtaining pressure-indicating data such as coolant temperature.
The coolant system pressure is then correlated with the coolant temperature or
other data and then the operational speed of the coolant pump is reduced accordingly.
