Powertrain cooling system with cooling flow modes

• US 8,978,596 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Glassford, Daniel B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOUBRY, JAMES G
• Application Number:
  US13/537,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20140000536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 123/41.02, 123/41.05, 123/41.08, 123/41.29, 123/41.31, 123/41.33, 123/41.44, 123/188.1, 123/196.AB, 123/198.C, 236/34.5, 165/202, 165/203, 165/287, 165/288, 165/297
• US Class Current: 123/41.08
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/33 Cylinder head temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/40 Oil temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/045 for transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/16 Outlet manifold
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/20 Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine F01P3/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/14 the coolant being liquid
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/165 characterised by systems with two or more loops

Abstract

A powertrain cooling system includes a coolant pump and coolant flow passages. A first three-position valve is operatively connected with an outlet of the coolant pump and has a first, a second, and a third position to at least partially establish different coolant flow modes through the coolant flow passages. Coolant flow from the coolant pump is blocked from both the cylinder head and the engine block in a first coolant flow mode when the three-position valve is in the first position. Coolant flow from the coolant pump is provided to the cylinder head and is blocked from the engine block in a second coolant flow mode when the three-position valve is in the second position. Coolant flows from the coolant pump to the engine block and from the engine block to the cylinder head in a third coolant flow mode when the three-position valve is in the third position.

Claims

1. A powertrain cooling system for a powertrain that has an engine with a cylinder head and an engine block and has a transmission connected to the engine, the powertrain cooling system comprising:

a coolant pump;

a plurality of coolant flow passages;

a first three-position valve operatively connected with an outlet of the coolant pump and having a first, a second, and a third position to at least partially establish different coolant flow modes through the coolant flow passages;

wherein coolant flow from the coolant pump is blocked from both the cylinder head and the engine block in a first of the coolant flow modes when the three-position valve is in the first position;

wherein coolant flow from the coolant pump is provided to the cylinder head and is blocked from the engine block in a second of the coolant flow modes when the three-position valve is in the second position;

wherein coolant flows from the coolant pump to the engine block and from the engine block to the cylinder head in a third of the coolant flow modes when the three-position valve is in the third position;

a first temperature sensor in thermal communication with the cylinder head to indicate a cylinder head temperature;

a second temperature sensor in thermal communication with the engine block to indicate an engine block temperature;

a controller operatively connected to the first three-position valve and to the temperature sensors;

wherein the controller is configured to place the first three-position valve in the first position when the first temperature sensor indicates the cylinder head temperature is less than a first predetermined temperature;

wherein the controller is configured to place the first three-position valve in the second position when the first temperature sensor indicates that the cylinder head temperature is greater than the first predetermined temperature and the engine block temperature is less than a second predetermined temperature; and

wherein the controller is configured to place the first three-position valve in the third position when the first temperature sensor indicates that the engine block temperature is greater than the second predetermined temperature;

an engine heat exchanger in thermal communication with engine oil in the engine block;

a transmission heat exchanger in thermal communication with transmission oil in the transmission;

a second three-position valve positioned in the coolant flow passages downstream of the engine block in the coolant flow, operatively connected with the controller, and having a first position, a second position, and a third position;

wherein coolant flow is provided to the engine heat exchanger and is blocked from the transmission heat exchanger when the second three-position valve is in the first position;

wherein coolant flow is provided to the transmission heat exchanger and is blocked from the engine heat exchanger when the second three-position valve is in the second position;

wherein coolant flow is provided to both of the engine heat exchanger and the transmission heat exchanger when the second three-position valve is in the third position;

a third temperature sensor in thermal communication with engine oil in the engine block and operatively connected with the controller to indicate an engine oil temperature;

a fourth temperature sensor in thermal communication with transmission oil in the transmission and operatively connected with the controller to indicate a transmission oil temperature;

wherein the controller is configured to place the second three-position valve in the first position when the engine oil temperature is less than a predetermined oil temperature;

wherein the controller is configured to place the second three-position valve in the second position when the engine oil temperature is greater than the predetermined oil temperature and the transmission oil temperature is less than the predetermined oil temperature; and

wherein the second three-position valve is in the third position when the engine oil temperature and the transmission oil temperature are greater than the predetermined oil temperature.

2. The powertrain of claim 1, wherein the second three-position valve is in the first position or the second position during the second of the coolant flow modes;

and wherein the second three-position valve is in the third position during the third of the coolant flow modes.

3. The powertrain cooling system of claim 1, further comprising:

an exhaust system through which exhaust gas is discharged from the engine;

an exhaust heat recovery device heat exchanger (EHRDHE) positioned at least partially within the exhaust system and in thermal communication with the coolant flow in the coolant flow passages upstream of the second three-position valve;

a bypass valve having a heat exchange position and a bypass position and operable to direct exhaust flow through the EHRDHE in the heat exchange position and to bypass the EHRDHE in the bypass position;

wherein the bypass valve is in the heat exchange position when the second three-position valve is in the first position and when the second three-position valve is in the second position; and

wherein the bypass valve is in the bypass position when the second three-position valve is in the third position.

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

a radiator operatively connected to the coolant flow passages;

a radiator valve positioned in the coolant flow passages between the radiator and an inlet of the water pump;

wherein the radiator valve is configured to have an open position than permits coolant flow through the radiator and a closed position that prevents coolant flow through the radiator;

wherein the radiator valve is in the closed position in the first and the second of the coolant flow modes; and

wherein the radiator valve is in the open position in the third coolant flow mode when the second three-position valve is in the third position and the coolant temperature is indicative of the engine oil temperature and the transmission oil temperature being greater than a predetermined maximum oil temperature that is greater than the predetermined oil temperature.

5. The powertrain cooling system of claim 3, further comprising:

a passenger compartment heater positioned in thermal communication with the coolant flow in the coolant flow passages downstream of the cylinder head and upstream of the second three-position valve.

6. A powertrain cooling system for a powertrain that has an engine with a cylinder head and an engine block, and a transmission connected to the engine, wherein engine oil is in the engine and transmission oil is in the transmission, the powertrain cooling system comprising:

a coolant pump;

a plurality of coolant flow passages;

a controller;

a first three-position valve downstream of the coolant pump and upstream of the engine in the coolant flow passages, operatively connected to the controller and having three different positions to selectively interconnect an outlet of the coolant pump with one, both or neither of the cylinder head and the engine block through the coolant flow passages to at least partially establish different coolant flow modes;

an engine heat exchanger in thermal communication with engine oil in the engine block;

a transmission heat exchanger in thermal communication with transmission oil in the transmission;

a second three-position valve positioned in the coolant flow passages downstream of the engine block in the coolant flow, operatively connected with the controller and having three different positions to selectively interconnect the coolant flow with only the engine heat exchanger, with only the transmission heat exchanger or with both of the engine heat exchanger and the transmission heat exchanger to further establish the different coolant flow modes; and

wherein the controller is configured to control the first and the second three-position valves to the three different positions, respectively, to first warm the engine, and then warm the transmission oil.

7. The powertrain cooling system of claim 6, further comprising:

an exhaust system through which exhaust gas is discharged from the engine;

an exhaust heat recovery device heat exchanger (EHRDHE) positioned at least partially within the exhaust system and in thermal communication with the coolant flow in the coolant flow passages upstream of the second three-position valve;

a bypass valve having a heat exchange position and a bypass position and operable to direct the exhaust flow across the EHRDHE in the heat exchange position and to bypass the EHRDHE in the bypass position;

wherein the bypass valve is in the heat exchange position both when the engine oil temperature is greater than a predetermined oil temperature and the transmission oil temperature is less than the predetermined oil temperature; and

wherein the bypass valve is in the bypass position when the engine oil temperature and the transmission oil temperature are greater than the predetermined oil temperature.

8. The powertrain cooling system of claim 6, further comprising:

a radiator operatively connected to the coolant flow passages;

a radiator valve positioned in the coolant flow passages between the radiator and an inlet of the water pump and operatively connected to the controller;

wherein the radiator valve is configured to have an open position than permits coolant flow through the radiator and a closed position that prevents coolant flow through the radiator;

wherein the radiator valve is in the open position only when the engine block temperature is greater than a predetermined engine block temperature.

9. The powertrain cooling system of claim 6, further comprising:

a passenger compartment heater positioned in thermal communication with the coolant flow in the coolant flow passages downstream of the cylinder head and upstream of the second three-position valve.

10. A method of cooling a powertrain that has an engine with a cylinder head and an engine block, comprising:

controlling a first three-position valve to a first position to block coolant flow to the engine when a temperature of the cylinder head is less than a first predetermined temperature;

wherein the first three-position valve is positioned upstream of the engine and downstream of a coolant flow pump;

controlling the first three-position valve to a second position to direct the coolant flow to the cylinder head and block coolant flow from the engine when the temperature of the cylinder head is greater than the first predetermined temperature and a temperature of the engine block is less than a second predetermined temperature;

controlling the first three-position valve to a third position to direct the coolant flow to both the cylinder head and the engine block when the temperature of the engine block is greater than the second predetermined temperature;

controlling a second three-position valve to a first position to direct the coolant flow to an engine heat exchanger when an engine oil temperature is less than a predetermined oil temperature;

wherein the second three-position valve is downstream of the engine in the coolant flow;

controlling the second three-position valve to a second position to direct the coolant flow to a transmission heat exchanger when a transmission oil temperature is less than a predetermined oil temperature and the engine oil temperature is greater than the predetermined oil temperature;

controlling the second three-position valve to a third position to direct the coolant flow to both the engine heat exchanger and the transmission heat exchanger when the transmission oil temperature is greater than the predetermined oil temperature;

controlling an exhaust heat recovery bypass valve to direct engine exhaust in thermal communication with the coolant flow when the second three-position valve is in the first position or in the second position; and

controlling the exhaust heat recovery bypass valve so that the engine exhaust bypasses thermal communication with the coolant flow when the second three-position valve is in the third position.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

positioning a radiator valve in the coolant flow downstream of the engine heat exchanger and the transmission heat exchanger, upstream of an inlet of the coolant pump and downstream of a radiator;

wherein the radiator valve is configured to maintain a closed position in which coolant flow from the radiator is blocked from the inlet of the pump, thereby stopping coolant flow through the radiator, and to maintain and open position in which coolant flow from the radiator is permitted through the radiator valve to the inlet of the coolant pump; and

wherein the radiator valve is configured to permit coolant flow from the engine heat exchanger and the transmission heat exchanger in both the closed position and the open position.