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US 2014/0109884 A1Published application
Automotive engine coolant and heating system
OwnerDaniel E Hornback, Kevin J Laboe +1inventors
InventorsDaniel E Hornback, Kevin J Laboe, Gregg T Black
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Engine coolant heating systems and methods that improve waste heat recovery. The systems and methods include a piped connection between the outlet of an exhaust gas recirculation cooler and the main exhaust pipe leading to the vehicle's tailpipe. The systems and methods also include at least one additional valve in the exhaust stream for directing the flow of exhaust appropriately given specific driving conditions.
Claims19
An engine coolant heating system for a vehicle, said system comprising:
- an exhaust gas recirculation cooler having an input for receiving exhaust gas from an engine and an output for outputting cooled exhaust gas;
- an exhaust gas recirculation valve connected between an input of an intake manifold and the output of the exhaust gas recirculation cooler;
- and
- at least one additional valve connected at least between the input of the exhaust gas recirculation cooler, an output of the exhaust gas recirculation cooler and an exhaust output,
- wherein said at least one additional valve is for configuring the system in a first configuration whereby a portion of the exhaust gas from the engine is passed through the cooler before a predetermined amount of cooled exhaust gas is passed through the exhaust gas recirculation valve to the intake manifold, and for configuring the system in a second configuration whereby substantially all of the exhaust gas from the engine is passed through the cooler before the predetermined amount of cooled exhaust gas is passed through the exhaust gas recirculation valve to the intake manifold.
2 more elements
A method of recirculating exhaust gas output from an engine, said method comprising:
- configuring an exhaust gas recirculation valve and at least one additional valve into a first configuration whereby a portion of exhaust gas output from the engine is passed through an exhaust gas recirculation cooler before a predetermined amount of cooled exhaust gas is passed through the exhaust gas recirculation valve to an intake manifold;
- and
- configuring the exhaust gas recirculation valve and the at least one additional valve into a second configuration whereby substantially all of the exhaust gas output from the engine is passed through the cooler before the predetermined amount of cooled exhaust gas is passed through the exhaust gas recirculation valve to the intake manifold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.