# US 10,767,601 B2 · Vehicle exhaust gas recirculation system utilizing a low temperature circuit-high temperature circuit crossover valve assembly

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- Number: US 10,767,601 B2
- Document ID: US10767601B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/251,162
- Filed: 2019-01-18
- Published: 2020-07-23
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-01-18
- Assignees: Volvo Car Corporation
- Applicants: Volvo Car Corporation
- Inventors: Ola Rolandson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767601B2

## CPC

- F02M 26/06: Low pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust downstream of the turbocharger turbine and reintroduced into the intake system upstream of the compressor
- F01P 3/12: Arrangements for cooling other engine or machine parts
- F01P 3/20: Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine (F01P3/22 takes precedence)
- F01P 7/14: the coolant being liquid
- F02B 29/0406: {Layout of the intake air cooling or coolant circuit}
- F02B 29/0443: {Layout of the coolant or refrigerant circuit}
- F02M 26/19: Means for improving the mixing of air and recirculated exhaust gases, e.g. venturis or multiple openings to the intake system
- F02M 26/23: Layout, e.g. schematics
- F16K 11/0853: {having all the connecting conduits situated in a single plane perpendicular to the axis of the plug}
- F01P 2060/12: Turbo charger
- F01P 2060/16: Outlet manifold
- F16K 11/0833: {having all the connecting conduits situated in a single plane perpendicular to the axis of the plug}
- Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28)
- F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G)
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system provided herein utilizes a crossover (X) valve that is selectively activated at the direction of the electronic control module (ECM) to mix the high temperature (HT) and low temperature (LT) circuits of the EGR system under certain predetermined operating conditions. Thus, HT circuit fluid (at engine temperatures) is selectively fed into the LT circuit fluid (at ambient temperatures) to heat certain LT circuit components that are normally cooled by the LT circuit before starting the low pressure (LP) EGR in certain cold cycles. When this heating is finished, the X valve is closed to provide normal HT circuit/LT circuit fluid separation. The X valve can be controlled using a rotational actuator or the like. To avoid exposing the LT circuit to the high revolution-per-minute (RPM) operating conditions of the HT circuit, a HT bypass mechanism is provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system for a vehicle, the EGR system comprising:
a high temperature (HT) circuit adapted to circulate a relatively higher temperature fluid within the EGR system;
a low temperature (LT) circuit adapted to circulate a relatively lower temperature fluid within the EGR system; and
a crossover (X) valve assembly adapted to selectively mix all or a portion of the relatively higher temperature fluid of the HT circuit with the relatively lower temperature fluid of the LT circuit fluidly coupled to both the HT circuit and the LT circuit, wherein the X valve assembly comprises a valve housing encompassing an inner wall adapted to rotationally define, in an inactive configuration, a LT chamber fluidly coupling a LT inlet port to a LT outlet port of the valve housing and a HT chamber fluidly coupling a HT inlet port to a HT outlet port of the valve housing, and, in an active configuration, a first mixing chamber fluidly coupling the HT inlet port to the LT outlet port of the valve housing and a second mixing chamber fluidly coupling the LT inlet port to the HT outlet port of the valve housing, and wherein the X valve assembly comprises a HT bypass mechanism adapted to bypass a portion of the relatively higher temperature fluid of the HT circuit around or through the X valve assembly from the HT inlet port to the HT outlet port of the valve housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The EGR system of claim 1, wherein the HT circuit comprises a fixed displacement HT pump adapted to operate with a flow curve that follows engine revolutions-per-minute (RPM).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The EGR system of claim 1, wherein the LT circuit comprises an electrical LT pump adapted to operate with a flow curve that follows a vehicle operating temperature model.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The EGR system of claim 1, wherein the X valve assembly is adapted to be rotationally actuated by an electronic control module (ECM) of the vehicle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The EGR system of claim 1, wherein the HT bypass mechanism comprises a check valve adapted to bypass the portion of the relatively higher temperature fluid of the HT circuit around or through the X valve assembly based on a mass flow rate of the relatively higher temperature fluid.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The EGR system of claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the X valve assembly has a variable thickness.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The EGR system of claim 1, wherein the inner wall of the X valve assembly comprises one or more of an angled surface, a concave surface, and a convex surface.

### Claim 8

A crossover (X) valve assembly for a vehicle exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, the X valve assembly comprising:
a valve housing;
a low temperature (LT) inlet port fluidly coupled to the housing;
a LT outlet port fluidly coupled to the housing, the LT inlet port and the LT outlet port forming a portion of a LT circuit adapted to circulate a relatively lower temperature fluid within the EGR system;
a high temperature (HT) inlet port fluidly coupled to the housing;
a HT outlet port fluidly coupled to the housing, the HT inlet port and the HT outlet port forming a portion of a HT circuit adapted to circulate a relatively higher temperature fluid within the EGR system;
an inner wall disposed within the valve housing adapted to be actuated from an inactive configuration in which the LT inlet port is fluidly coupled to the LT outlet port through a LT chamber defined within the valve housing and the HT inlet port is fluidly coupled to the HT outlet port through a HT chamber defined within the valve housing and an active configuration in which the HT inlet port is fluidly coupled to the LT outlet port through a first mixing chamber defined within the valve housing and the LT inlet port is fluidly coupled to the HT outlet port through a second mixing chamber defined within the valve housing; and
a HT bypass mechanism disposed adjacent to the valve housing or through the inner wall and adapted to bypass a portion of the relatively higher temperature fluid of the HT circuit around or through the valve housing from the HT inlet port to the HT outlet port.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The X valve assembly of claim 8, wherein the inner wall is adapted to be rotationally actuated by an electronic control module (ECM) of a vehicle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The X valve assembly of claim 8, wherein the HT bypass mechanism disposed adjacent to the valve housing or through the inner wall comprises a check valve adapted to bypass the portion of the relatively higher temperature fluid of the HT circuit around or through the valve housing based on a mass flow rate of the relatively higher temperature fluid.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The X valve assembly of claim 8, wherein the inner wall has a variable thickness.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The X valve assembly of claim 8, wherein the inner wall comprises one or more of an angled surface, a concave surface, and a convex surface.

### Claim 13

A computer program product including a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon and executed to cause a computer to:
obtain an operating state of a vehicle; and
based on the obtained operating state of the vehicle, selectively actuate a valve assembly fluidly coupled to a high temperature (HT) circuit adapted to circulate a relatively higher temperature fluid within an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system and a low temperature (LT) circuit adapted to circulate a relatively lower temperature fluid within the EGR system, actuating the valve assembly causing all or a portion of the relatively higher temperature fluid of the HT circuit to mix with the relatively lower temperature fluid of the LT circuit;
wherein the valve assembly comprises a crossover (X) valve assembly fluidly coupled to both the HT circuit and the LT circuit, wherein the X valve assembly comprises a valve housing encompassing an inner wall adapted to rotationally define, in an inactive configuration, a LT chamber fluidly coupling a LT inlet port to a LT outlet port of the valve housing and a HT chamber fluidly coupling a HT inlet port to a HT outlet port of the valve housing, and, in an active configuration, a first mixing chamber fluidly coupling the HT inlet port to the LT outlet port of the valve housing and a second mixing chamber fluidly coupling the LT inlet port to the HT outlet port of the valve housing, and wherein the X valve assembly comprises a HT bypass mechanism adapted to bypass a portion of the relatively higher temperature fluid of the HT circuit around or through the X valve assembly from the HT inlet port to the HT outlet port of the valve housing.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executed to cause the computer to, based on the obtained operating state of the vehicle, modify a flow of the relatively lower temperature fluid using an electrical LT pump that is fluidly coupled to the LT circuit.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the X valve assembly is adapted to be rotationally actuated.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the HT bypass mechanism comprises a check valve adapted to bypass the portion of the relatively higher temperature fluid of the HT circuit around or through the X valve assembly based on a mass flow rate of the relatively higher temperature fluid.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further executed to cause the computer to:
obtain a subsequent operating state of the vehicle; and
based on the obtained subsequent operating state of the vehicle, selectively subsequently actuate the valve assembly fluidly coupled to the HT circuit adapted to circulate the relatively higher temperature fluid within the EGR system and the LT circuit adapted to circulate the relatively lower temperature fluid within the EGR system, subsequently actuating the valve assembly causing the relatively higher temperature fluid of the HT circuit to be separated from the relatively lower temperature fluid of the LT circuit.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the inner wall of the X valve assembly has a variable thickness.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the inner wall of the X valve assembly comprises one or more of an angled surface, a concave surface, and a convex surface.