Systems and methods for removing fuel from engine oil

• US 9,611,780 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2015
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Paratore, Jr., Michael J., Gonze, Eugene V., Chen, Yue-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Long T
• Application Number:
  US14/804,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20170022879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/10 Indicating devices; Other safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2001/165 according to fuel dilution in oil
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/002 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/08 Arrangements of lubricant coolers in lubrication apparatus F01M
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2007/146 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/04 Lubricant cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/14 the coolant being liquid

Abstract

A coolant control system of a vehicle includes a fraction module, and a coolant valve control module. The fraction module determines an oil fuel fraction based on an amount of fuel in an amount of engine oil. The coolant valve control module, based on the oil fuel fraction, selectively actuates a coolant valve to enable coolant flow from an integrated exhaust manifold (IEM) of an engine to an engine oil heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A coolant control system of a vehicle, comprising:

a fraction module that determines an oil fuel fraction based on an amount of fuel in an amount of engine oil; and

a coolant valve control module that, based on the oil fuel fraction, selectively actuates a coolant valve to enable coolant flow from an integrated exhaust manifold (IEM) of an engine to an engine oil heat exchanger.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the coolant valve control module actuates the coolant valve to enable coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the oil fuel fraction is greater than a predetermined value.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the coolant valve control module actuates the coolant valve to prevent coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the oil fuel fraction is less than the predetermined value.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the coolant valve control module selectively actuates the coolant valve to control coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger further based on at least one of a transmission temperature and an engine oil temperature.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the coolant valve control module actuates the coolant valve to enable coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when:

(i) the transmission temperature is less than a predetermined temperature; and

(ii) the oil fuel fraction is greater than a predetermined value.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the coolant valve control module selectively actuates the coolant valve to prevent coolant flow of from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the transmission temperature is greater than the predetermined temperature.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the coolant valve control module actuates the coolant valve to prevent coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the oil fuel fraction is greater than the predetermined value.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the coolant valve control module actuates the coolant valve to enable coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when:

(i) the engine oil temperature is less than a predetermined temperature; and

(ii) the oil fuel fraction is greater than a predetermined value.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the coolant valve control module selectively actuates the coolant valve to prevent coolant flow of from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the engine oil temperature is greater than the predetermined temperature.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the coolant valve control module actuates the coolant valve to prevent coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the oil fuel fraction is greater than the predetermined value.

11. A coolant control method for a vehicle, comprising:

determining an oil fuel fraction based on an amount of fuel in an amount of engine oil; and

based on the oil fuel fraction, selectively actuating a coolant valve to enable coolant flow from an integrated exhaust manifold (IEM) of an engine to an engine oil heat exchanger.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein selectively actuating the coolant valve includes actuating the coolant valve to enable coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the oil fuel fraction is greater than a predetermined value.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein selectively actuating the coolant valve includes actuating the coolant valve to prevent coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the oil fuel fraction is less than the predetermined value.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising selectively actuating the coolant valve to control coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger further based on at least one of a transmission temperature and an engine oil temperature.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein selectively actuating the coolant valve includes actuating the coolant valve to enable coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when:

(i) the transmission temperature is less than a predetermined temperature; and

(ii) the oil fuel fraction is greater than a predetermined value.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein selectively actuating the coolant valve includes actuating the coolant valve to prevent coolant flow of from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the transmission temperature is greater than the predetermined temperature.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein selectively actuating the coolant valve includes actuating the coolant valve to prevent coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the oil fuel fraction is greater than the predetermined value.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein selectively actuating the coolant valve includes actuating the coolant valve to enable coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when:

(i) the engine oil temperature is less than a predetermined temperature; and

(ii) the oil fuel fraction is greater than a predetermined value.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein selectively actuating the coolant valve includes actuating the coolant valve to prevent coolant flow of from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the engine oil temperature is greater than the predetermined temperature.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein selectively actuating the coolant valve includes actuating the coolant valve to prevent coolant flow from the IEM to the engine oil heat exchanger when the oil fuel fraction is greater than the predetermined value.