Exhaust thermal management

A method for controlling the temperature of re-circulated exhaust gas in an internal combustion engine comprising:

• operating the internal combustion engine on a base line mode by activating a primary exhaust valve opening during an exhaust event of an exhaust valve's associated cylinder, the exhaust valve being fully opened during the primary exhaust valve opening;
• receiving a signal indicative of an engine operating temperature;
• comparing the engine operating temperature to a predetermined IEGR threshold;
• when the engine, operating temperature is less than the predetermined IEGR threshold, activating an IEGR mode by activating a secondary exhaust valve opening during an intake event of the exhaust valve's associated cylinder, the exhaust valve being less than 40% fully opened during the secondary exhaust valve opening, and keeping the exhaust valve partially open between the primary exhaust valve opening and the secondary exhaust valve opening, and activating an EEVO mode;
• and
• when the engine operating temperature is greater than the first predetermined IEGR threshold, deactivating the IEGR mode and deactivating the EEVO mode.

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• at least one combustion cylinder;
• at least one exhaust valve adapted to allow combustion gases to be exhausted from the combustion cylinder;
• an exhaust cam shaft including cam lobes adapted to control the at least one exhaust valve, the exhaust cam shaft further adapted to selectively operate the at least one exhaust valve in at least one of a base line mode, an IEGR mode and an EEVO mode;
• and
• a control module, the control module adapted to receive a signal indicative of an engine operating temperature and operate the internal combustion engine in the base line mode when the engine temperature exceeds a predetermined IEGR threshold, and to operate the internal combustion engine in both the IEGR mode and the EEVO mode when the engine temperature is less than the predetermined IEGR threshold;
• wherein when operating in the base line mode, the exhaust cam shaft is adapted to actuate a primary exhaust valve opening, by fully opening the exhaust valve, during an exhaust event of the exhaust valve's associated cylinder;
• and when operating in the IEGR mode, the exhaust cam shaft is adapted to actuate a secondary exhaust valve opening, by opening the exhaust valve less than 40% of fully opened, during an intake event of the exhaust valve's associated cylinder, and to hold the exhaust valve partially open between the primary exhaust valve opening and the secondary exhaust valve opening.