Systems and method for vehicle thermal management

A method of cooling an engine and a non-engine heat-generating component of a work vehicle comprising:

• operating a throttle valve coupled to fuel lines intermediate a fuel tank and the engine to selectively deliver the fuel to the engine for combustion and to the non-engine heat-generating component for cooling;
• operating a thermal expansion valve coupled to the fuel lines intermediate the throttle valve and the engine and the non-engine heat-generating component to effect a pressure reduction to absorb thermal energy for cooling the non-engine heat-generating component;
• and
• delivering the fuel utilized for cooling to the engine for combustion.

A control system for thermal management of a work vehicle having an engine and a non-engine heat-generating component, the control system comprising:

• fuel lines configured to deliver the fuel from the fuel tank to the engine and the heat-generating component, the fuel tank configured to store the fuel in a liquid or gaseous state;
• a controller having a processing and memory architecture and configured to execute instructions to:
• operate a throttle valve coupled to the fuel lines intermediate the fuel tank and the engine to selectively deliver the fuel to the engine for combustion and to the non-engine heat-generating component for cooling;
• operate a thermal expansion valve coupled to the fuel lines intermediate the throttle valve and the engine and the non-engine heat-generating component to effect a pressure reduction to absorb thermal energy for cooling the non-engine heat-generating component;
• and
• deliver the fuel utilized for cooling to the engine for combustion.