Charge air cooler (cac) corrosion reduction utilizing grille shutters
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDaniel Joseph Styles, Gopichandra Surnilla
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for reducing corrosion of a charge air cooler and preventing engine misfire due to condensate formation. In response to a condensate forming region in a charge air cooler, a grille shutter system is adjusted, moving the condensate region to a different location in the charge air cooler. Grille shutter orientation may also be controlled in response to vehicle operating conditions and condensate-forming weather conditions.
Claims20
A method for controlling vehicle grille shutters, comprising:
- increasing grille shutter opening to move a location where condensate forms within a charge air cooler (CAC) toward an inlet of the CAC responsive to the location being closer to an outlet than the inlet;
- and
- decreasing grille shutter opening to move the location toward the outlet of the CAC responsive to the location being closer to the inlet than the outlet.
A method for controlling vehicle grille shutters, comprising:
- increasing grille shutter opening to move a condensate-forming location within a charge air cooler (CAC) toward an inlet of the CAC responsive to the condensate-forming location being to a right of a center of the CAC, and engine temperature above a threshold or vehicle deceleration conditions;
- and
- decreasing grille shutter opening to move the condensate-forming location toward an outlet of the CAC responsive to the condensate-forming location being to a left of the center of the CAC, and engine temperature below the threshold or vehicle acceleration conditions.
A method for controlling vehicle grille shutters, comprising:
- adjusting grille shutter opening in response to a condensate location within a charge air cooler remaining stagnant for greater than a threshold duration, including increasing grille shutter opening and moving the condensate location toward an inlet of the charge air cooler in response to a first condition with the condensate location closer to an outlet of the charge air cooler than the inlet of the charge air cooler, and decreasing grille shutter opening and moving the condensate location toward the outlet in response to a second condition with the condensate location closer to the inlet than the outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.