A/C Compressor Torque

The ATC module uses refrigerant pressure, evaporator temperature and engine speed to calculate the torque being used to drive the A/C compressor. The calculated value is broadcast on the medium speed CAN bus for the ECM, which uses the calculated value for idle speed control and fueling control. The ATC module also compares the calculated value with a maximum A/C compressor torque value received from the ECM over the medium speed CAN bus. If the calculated value exceeds the maximum value, the ATC module signals the refrigerant solenoid valve to reduce the refrigerant flow and so reduce the torque being used to drive the A/C compressor. By reducing the maximum A/C compressor torque value, the ECM is able to reduce the load on the engine when it needs to maintain vehicle performance or cooling system integrity.