Engine system with coolant collector

An internal combustion engine system, comprising:

• a cylinder block;
• a cylinder head vertically attached to the cylinder block, the cylinder head including a plurality of coolant passages;
• an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler including a plurality of mounting posts;
• and
• a coolant collector bracket directly coupled to and between the cylinder head and the EGR cooler, the coolant collector bracket aligned to vertically support the EGR cooler, the coolant collector bracket including,
• a first internal channel for directly receiving coolant from a plurality of outlets of the plurality of coolant passages of the cylinder head;
• and
• a second internal channel for directly communicating the coolant to the cylinder block, and
• wherein the coolant collector bracket is directly connected to the EGR cooler at the plurality of mounting posts.

A method of directing coolant flow through an internal combustion engine system, the internal combustion engine system including a cylinder block, a cylinder head attached to the cylinder block, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler, and a coolant collector bracket coupled to and between the cylinder head and the EGR cooler, the method comprising:

• directly supplying coolant through a plurality of outlets of a plurality of coolant passages of the cylinder head and into a plurality of coolant inlets of the coolant collector bracket;
• moving the coolant through the plurality of coolant inlets and into a first internal coolant channel of the coolant collector bracket;
• directing the coolant to flow upstream through an EGR coolant outlet of the coolant collector bracket and into an inlet of the EGR cooler;
• and
• enabling the coolant to flow downstream from an outlet of the EGR cooler and into a second internal coolant channel of the coolant collector bracket to supply the coolant to the cylinder block.