Integrated Vehicle Cooling System

• US 20090020081A1
• Filed: 07/16/2007
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Claypole, George M., Nemesh, Mark D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,669,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/41.310
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/02 with liquid cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/029 Expansion reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/24 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/165 characterised by systems with two or more loops

Abstract

An integrated high and moderate temperature cooling system both for an internal combustion engine and for auxiliary vehicle components requiring cooling. The integrated cooling system shares a coolant, yet the shared coolant is stratified to retain thermal identity between the portion of the coolant used for engine cooling and the portion of the coolant used for auxiliary vehicle components cooling. A shared coolant reservoir is used; preferably a shared heat exchanger, and optionally a common coolant pump may also be used.

Claims

1. An integrated cooling system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one heat exchanger;

a high temperature cooling subsystem;

a moderate temperature cooling subsystem;

a shared coolant comprising an engine coolant portion and an auxiliary coolant portion;

a shared coolant reservoir; and

piping fluidically connecting said shared coolant with each of said at least shared coolant reservoir, said high temperature cooling subsystem, said moderate temperature cooling subsystem, and said at least one heat exchanger;

wherein said shared coolant is stratified by said at least one heat exchanger so as to thereby retain thermal identity as between the engine coolant portion and the auxiliary coolant portion thereof; and

wherein the engine coolant portion of said shared coolant is utilized in said hot temperature cooling subsystem, and wherein the auxiliary coolant portion of said shared coolant is utilized in said moderate temperature cooling subsystem.

2. The integrated cooling system of claim 1, wherein said at least one heat exchanger comprises:

a plurality of engine coolant passages; and

a plurality of auxiliary coolant passages;

wherein said plurality of engine coolant passages are connected by said piping to said high temperature cooling subsystem, and wherein said plurality of auxiliary coolant passages are connected by said piping to said moderate temperature cooling subsystem.

3. The integrated cooling system of claim 2, wherein said at least one heat exchanger further comprises:

an engine heat exchanger comprising said plurality of engine coolant passages; and

an auxiliary heat exchanger comprising said plurality of auxiliary coolant passages.

4. The integrated cooling system of claim 3, further comprising:

an engine heat exchanger inlet tank connected to one end of said plurality of engine coolant passages;

an engine heat exchanger outlet tank connected to the other end of said plurality of engine coolant passages;

an auxiliary heat exchanger inlet tank connected to one end of said plurality of auxiliary coolant passages;

an auxiliary heat exchanger outlet tank connected to the other end of said plurality of auxiliary coolant passages; and

an air separator connected with said piping at said moderate temperature cooling subsystem;

wherein said piping further connects said shared coolant reservoir to said air separator and connect said shared coolant reservoir to said engine heat exchanger outlet tank.

5. The integrated cooling system of claim 2, wherein said at least one heat exchanger further comprises:

a shared heat exchanger comprising said plurality of engine and auxiliary coolant passages.

6. The integrated cooling system of claim 5, wherein said shared heat exchanger further comprises:

an inlet tank connected to one end of said plurality of engine and auxiliary coolant passages;

an outlet tank connected to the other end of said plurality of engine and auxiliary coolant passages; and

wherein said inlet tank is structured such that the engine coolant portion is stratified with respect to the auxiliary coolant portion, wherein all of the engine coolant portion entering into said inlet tank passes thereout through said engine coolant passages, and wherein all of the auxiliary coolant portion entering into said inlet tank passes thereout through said auxiliary coolant passages.

7. The integrated cooling system of claim 6, wherein said inlet tank further comprises a baffle located therewithin which provides the stratification of said engine and auxiliary coolant portions.

8. The integrated cooling system of claim 7, wherein said piping connects said shared coolant reservoir to said shared heat exchanger at said outlet tank.

9. The integrated cooling system of claim 8, further comprising an air separator connected with said piping at said moderate temperature cooling subsystem;

wherein said piping further connects said shared coolant reservoir to said air separator.

10. The integrated cooling system of claim 8, wherein said high and moderate temperature cooling subsystems further comprise:

a shared coolant pump connected with said piping so as to circulate both said engine coolant portion and said auxiliary coolant portion; and

a flow regulator connected to said moderate temperature cooling subsystem.

11. An integrated cooling system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one heat exchanger;

a high temperature cooling subsystem;

an internal combustion engine connected with said high temperature cooling system so as to provide cooling thereof;

a moderate temperature cooling subsystem;

at least one auxiliary vehicle component connected with said moderate temperature cooling system so as to provide cooling thereof;

a shared coolant comprising an engine coolant portion and an auxiliary coolant portion;

a shared coolant reservoir; and

piping fluidically connecting said shared coolant with each of said at least shared coolant reservoir, said high temperature cooling subsystem, said moderate temperature cooling subsystem, and said at least one heat exchanger;

wherein said shared coolant is stratified by said at least one heat exchanger so as to thereby retain thermal identity as between the engine coolant portion and the auxiliary coolant portion thereof; and

wherein the engine coolant portion of said shared coolant is utilized in said hot temperature cooling subsystem to cool said internal combustion engine, and wherein the auxiliary coolant portion of said shared coolant is utilized in said moderate temperature cooling subsystem to cool said at least one auxiliary vehicle component.

12. The integrated cooling system of claim 11, wherein said at least one heat exchanger comprises:

a plurality of engine coolant passages; and

a plurality of auxiliary coolant passages;

wherein said plurality of engine coolant passages are connected to said high temperature cooling subsystem, and wherein said plurality of auxiliary coolant passages are connected by said piping to said moderate temperature cooling subsystem.

13. The integrated cooling system of claim 12, wherein said at least one heat exchanger further comprises:

an engine heat exchanger comprising said plurality of engine coolant passages; and

an auxiliary heat exchanger comprising said plurality of auxiliary coolant passages.

14. The integrated cooling system of claim 13, further comprising:

an engine heat exchanger inlet tank connected to one end of said plurality of engine coolant passages;

an engine heat exchanger outlet tank connected to the other end of said plurality of engine coolant passages;

an auxiliary heat exchanger inlet tank connected to one end of said plurality of auxiliary coolant passages;

an auxiliary heat exchanger outlet tank connected to the other end of said plurality of auxiliary coolant passages; and

an air separator connected with said piping at said moderate temperature cooling subsystem between said auxiliary heat exchanger outlet tank and said at least one auxiliary vehicle component;

wherein said piping further connects said shared coolant reservoir to said air separator and connects said shared coolant reservoir to said engine heat exchanger outlet tank.

15. The integrated cooling system of claim 12, wherein said at least one heat exchanger further comprises:

a shared heat exchanger comprising said plurality of engine and auxiliary coolant passages.

16. The integrated cooling system of claim 15, wherein said shared heat exchanger further comprises:

an inlet tank connected to one end of said plurality of engine and auxiliary coolant passages;

an outlet tank connected to the other end of said plurality of engine and auxiliary coolant passages; and

wherein said inlet tank is structured such that the engine coolant portion is stratified with respect to the auxiliary coolant portion, wherein all of the engine coolant portion entering into said inlet tank passes thereout through said engine coolant passages, and wherein all of the auxiliary coolant portion entering into said inlet tank passes thereout through said auxiliary coolant passages.

17. The integrated cooling system of claim 16, wherein said inlet tank further comprises a baffle located therewithin which provides the stratification of said engine and auxiliary coolant portions.

18. The integrated cooling system of claim 17, wherein said piping connects said shared coolant reservoir to said shared heat exchanger at said outlet tank.

19. The integrated cooling system of claim 18, further comprising an air separator connected with said piping at said moderate temperature cooling subsystem between said auxiliary heat exchanger outlet tank and said at least one auxiliary vehicle component;

wherein said piping further connects said shared coolant reservoir to said air separator.

20. The integrated cooling system of claim 18, wherein said high and moderate temperature cooling subsystems further comprise:

a shared coolant pump connected with said piping so as to circulate both said engine coolant portion and said auxiliary coolant portion; and

a flow regulator connected to said moderate temperature cooling subsystem.