COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

• US 20110107983A1
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2009
• 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: MAGRO, Lorenzo
• Granted Patent: US 8,434,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/41.1
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/04 using liquids
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/105 Using two or more pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/04 Lubricant cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/08 Cabin heater
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/165 characterised by systems with two or more loops
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/25 with coolers having bypasses
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/28 with liquid-cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A cooling system is provided for an internal combustion engine that includes, but is not limited to an engine coolant circuit having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, a radiator having an inlet and an outlet, a first pipeline for hydraulically connecting the radiator outlet and the engine coolant inlet, a second pipeline for hydraulically connecting the engine coolant outlet to the radiator inlet, a coolant pump located in the first pipeline for moving a coolant towards the engine coolant inlet, a thermostatic valve located in the first pipeline between the primary pump and the radiator outlet, for closing or at least partially opening the passageway, a bypass pipeline for hydraulically connecting an intermediate point of the second pipeline to an intermediate point of the first pipeline, the latter being located between the thermostatic valve and the radiator outlet, an exhaust gas recirculation cooler located in the bypass pipeline, an auxiliary coolant pump located in the bypass pipeline, and a controlling for controlling the auxiliary coolant pump.

Claims

1. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

an engine coolant circuit having an engine coolant circuit inlet and an engine circuit coolant circuit outlet;

a radiator having a radiator inlet and a radiator outlet;

a first pipeline adapted to hydraulically connect the radiator outlet and the engine coolant circuit inlet;

a second pipeline adapted to hydraulically connect the engine coolant circuit outlet and radiator inlet;

a coolant pump located in the first pipeline and adapted to pump a coolant to the engine coolant circuit inlet;

a thermostatic valve located in the first pipeline and between the coolant pump and the radiator outlet and adapted to at least partially open a connection between radiator outlet and the engine coolant circuit inlet;

a bypass pipeline adapted to hydraulically connect the second pipeline to the first pipeline; and

an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler located in the bypass pipeline,

wherein the bypass pipeline is adapted to hydraulically connect the second pipeline to an intermediate point of the first pipeline that is located between the thermostatic valve and the radiator outlet, and

the cooling system further comprises an auxiliary coolant pump located in the bypass pipeline, and controller adapted to control said auxiliary coolant pump.

2. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary coolant pump adapted to, when activated, pump at least part of the coolant from the radiator outlet through the bypass pipeline towards the second pipeline to thereby pass through the EGR cooler.

3. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the bypass pipeline is adapted, when the auxiliary coolant pump is switched off and the coolant is adapted to flow in the second pipeline from the engine coolant circuit outlet towards the radiator inlet, to route at least part of the coolant from the engine coolant circuit outlet through the bypass pipeline towards the first pipeline, thereby passing through the EGR cooler.

4. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to switch on the auxiliary coolant pump, at least when the thermostatic valve closes the connection between radiator outlet and engine coolant circuit inlet.

5. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to switch on the auxiliary coolant pump, when the thermostatic valve opens at least partially the connection between radiator outlet and the engine coolant circuit inlet.

6. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to switch off the auxiliary coolant pump, when the thermostatic valve opens at least partially the connection between radiator outlet and engine coolant circuit inlet.

7. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control operation of the auxiliary coolant pump that is at least based on at least one engine operating parameter.

8. The cooling system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one engine operating parameter is an engine speed.

9. The cooling system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one engine operating parameter is an engine load.

10. The cooling system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one engine operating parameter is an exhaust gas temperature.

11. The cooling system according to claim 7, wherein said at least one engine operating parameter is a coolant temperature.

12. The cooling system according to claim 7, further comprising a sensor in operative communication with the controller and adapted to measure said at least one engine operating parameter.

13. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein the thermostatic valve is adapted to close the connection between radiator outlet and engine coolant circuit inlet.