Unified system for warming vehicle components using an exhaust gas heat recovery system

• US 10,495,045 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Revach, Shlomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, Audrey K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stanek, Kelsey L
• Application Number:
  US15/416,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20180209393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 60273
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/02 a heat exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2410/02 in case of high temperature, e.g. overheating of catalytic reactor
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2590/11 for hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 5/02 the devices using heat
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/105 Using two or more pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/24 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/045 for transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/08 Cabin heater
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/16 Outlet manifold
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/165 characterised by systems with two or more loops
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 19/10 by heating of engine coolants
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/02 said parameters being related to the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/10 said parameters being related to driver demands or status
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

An exhaust gas heat recovery (EGHR) system for a vehicle is configured to selectively distribute a fluid heated by engine exhaust through a coolant path for heating an engine, a transmission and a battery during cold operating conditions until a desired operating temperature is reached. In response to receiving one or more heating requests from the engine, transmission and/or battery, a controller distributes the fluid through the coolant path according to a priority level for each heating request received, wherein the priority level for each heating request may be based on current vehicle operating conditions and/or driver demand.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

an engine;

an electric machine selectively coupled to the engine via a clutch;

an exhaust gas heat recovery (EGHR) system; and

a controller programmed to;

in response to receiving a warming request from one or more powertrain components, selectively distribute a fluid heated by the EGHR system through a coolant path to the one or more powertrain components until a desired operating temperature is reached, and

in response to receiving more than one warming request, determine a priority level of each warming request based on current vehicle operating conditions and driver demand.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more powertrain components includes an engine, a transmission and a battery.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to distribute the fluid through the coolant path to the one or more powertrain components based on the priority level.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising:

a radiator in fluid communication with the engine and the EGHR system, wherein the controller is programmed to, in response to the EGHR system being in an inactive mode and fluid exiting the EGHR system exceeding a predetermined temperature, distribute the fluid through the coolant path to the radiator.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to command the EGHR system to heat the fluid with exhaust gas from the engine responsive to receiving the warming request from one of the engine, a transmission, and a battery.

6. A system for thermal management in a vehicle having an engine, a transmission and a battery, the system comprising:

a pump configured to supply coolant from the engine to an exhaust gas heat recovery (EGHR) system to be heated by engine exhaust; and

a controller programmed to, in response to receiving one or more heating requests, operate a valve to selectively route coolant heated by the EGHR system to at least one of the engine, the transmission, and the battery according to a priority level established for each heating request, wherein the priority level of each heating request is based on at least one of current vehicle operating conditions and driver demand.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further programmed to distribute the coolant heated by the EGHR system until a desired operating temperature is reached.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the EGHR system includes a heat exchanger, a bypass line, and a control valve configured to selectively direct engine exhaust through one of the heat exchanger and the bypass line, wherein the controller is further configured to command the control valve to direct engine exhaust through the bypass line responsive to one of the desired operating temperature being reached and engine back pressure exceeding a corresponding threshold.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a second valve configured to selectively route coolant supplied by the EGHR system to a radiator responsive to a coolant temperature exceeding a predetermined temperature during operation of the EGHR system in a bypass mode.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a second pump configured to supply coolant heated by the EGHR system and routed from the valve to the transmission responsive to a transmission heating request; and

a third pump configured to supply coolant heated by the EGHR system and routed from the valve to the battery responsive to a battery heating request.

11. A method for control of a vehicle having an engine with an exhaust gas heat recovery (EGHR) system, comprising:

in response to receiving one or more heating requests from at least one of an engine, a transmission and a battery, distributing a fluid heated by the EGHR system through a coolant path according to a priority level of each heating request, wherein the priority level of each heating request is based on at least one of current vehicle operating conditions and driver demand.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

distributing the fluid heated by the EGHR system through the coolant path until a desired operating temperature is reached.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the EGHR system includes a heat exchanger, a bypass, and a valve configured to selectively direct engine exhaust through one of the heat exchanger and the bypass, wherein the valve is controlled to direct engine exhaust through the bypass responsive to one of the desired operating temperature being reached and engine back pressure exceeding a corresponding threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the valve is controlled to direct engine exhaust through the heat exchanger responsive to at least one of an engine temperature, a transmission temperature and a battery temperature being below the desired operating temperature.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

in response to the EGHR system being in an inactive mode and the fluid exiting the EGHR system exceeding a predetermined temperature, distributing the fluid through the coolant path to a radiator for cooling.