Unified rotary flow control valve for internal combustion engine cooling system

A control valve for regulating flow of coolant throughout a cooling system for a turbo-charged internal combustions engine for a locomotive or off highway vehicle, said control valve comprising:

• (a) a cylinder having openings in fluid communication with a coolant jacket, intercooler, radiator, and coolant tank;
• (b) a rotor disposed within said cylinder and having a plurality of sets of openings formed therein said rotor operable to be rotated to a plurality of positions within said cylinder for regulating coolant flow between said control valve and said coolant jacket, said intercooler, said radiator and said coolant tank;
• (c) a first of said positions aligning said openings in said cylinder with a first set of openings in said rotor to form a first flow connection mode;
• (d) a second of said positions aligning said openings in said cylinder with a second set of openings in said rotor to form a second flow connection mode;
• and
• (e) a third of said positions aligning said openings in said cylinder with a third set of openings in said rotor to form a third flow connection mode.

An enhanced split cooling system for a turbocharged internal combustion engine including a liquid cooled turbocharger and an engine liquid coolant jacket, said system comprising:

• (a) a coolant pump for pumping coolant from a coolant storage tank into heat exchange relationship with said engine jacket and said turbocharger;
• (b) an oil cooler;
• (c) an oil subcooler;
• (d) a radiator;
• (e) an intercooler operatively associated with said turbocharger for passing coolant in heat exchange relationship with compressed air in said turbocharger;
• (f) an intercooler subcooler having an input and an output;
• (g) a valve assembly actuated by an actuator wherein said valve assembly is in fluid communication with said coolant jacket, said turbo charger, said oil cooler, said oil subcooler, said intercooler, said intercooler subcooler, said radiator, said tank and independently operable for selectively directing coolant flow through said coolant jacket, turbo charger, oil cooler, oil subcooler, intercooler, intercooler subcooler, radiator, and tank under varying engine operating environmental conditions;
• and
• (h) wherein said valve assembly is operable in a mode wherein coolant flows from said engine and flows to said radiator, said oil cooler, and said intercooler, flows from said oil subcooler to said tank, and flows from said intercooler subcooler to said tank.

An enhanced split cooling system for a turbocharged internal combustion engine including a liquid cooled turbocharger and an engine liquid coolant jacket, said system comprising:

• (a) a coolant pump for pumping coolant from a coolant storage tank into heat exchange relationship with said engine jacket and said turbocharger;
• (b) an oil cooler;
• (c) an oil subcooler;
• (d) a radiator;
• (e) an intercooler operatively associated with said turbocharger for passing coolant in heat exchange relationship with compressed air in said turbocharger;
• (f) an intercooler subcooler having an input and an output;
• (g) a valve assembly actuated by an actuator wherein said valve assembly is in fluid communication with said coolant jacket, said turbo charger, said oil cooler, said oil subcooler, said intercooler, said intercooler subcooler, said radiator, said tank and independently operable for selectively directing coolant flow through said coolant jacket, turbo charger, oil cooler, oil subcooler, intercooler, intercooler subcooler, radiator, and tank under varying engine operating environmental conditions;
• and
• (h) wherein said valve assembly is operable in a mode wherein coolant flows from said engine and flows to said intercooler, said oil cooler, said tank, flows from said radiator to said tank, flows from said oil subcooler to said tank, and flows from said intercooler subcooler to said tank.

An enhanced split cooling system for a turbocharged internal combustion engine including a liquid cooled turbocharger and an engine liquid coolant jacket, said system comprising:

• (a) coolant pump for pumping coolant from a coolant storage tank into heat exchange relationship with said engine jacket and said turbocharger;
• (b) an oil cooler;
• (c) an oil subcooler;
• (d) a radiator;
• (e) an intercooler operatively associated with said turbocharger for passing coolant in heat exchange relationship with compressed air in said turbocharger;
• (f) an intercooler subcooler having an input and an output;
• (g) a valve assembly actuated by an actuator wherein said valve assembly is in fluid communication with said coolant jacket, said turbo charger, said oil cooler, said oil subcooler, said intercooler, said intercooler subcooler, said radiator, said tank and independently operable for selectively directing coolant flow through said coolant jacket, turbo charger, oil cooler, oil subcooler, intercooler, intercooler subcooler, radiator, and tank under varying engine operating environmental conditions;
• and
• (h) wherein said valve assembly is a five-port rotary valve.

A control valve for regulating flow of coolant throughout a cooling system for an enhanced turbo-charged internal combustions engine for a locomotive or off highway vehicle, said control valve comprising:

• (a) a cylinder having openings in fluid communication with to a turbocharger, a coolant jacket, an intercooler, a radiator, and a coolant tank;
• (b) a rotor disposed within said cylinder and having a plurality of sets of openings formed therein said rotor operable to be rotated to a plurality of positions within said cylinder;
• (c) a first of said positions aligning said openings in said cylinder with a first set of openings in said rotor to form a first flow communication mode;
• (d) a second of said positions aligning said openings in said cylinder with a second set of openings in said rotor to form a second flow communication mode;
• and
• (e) a third of said positions aligning said openings in said cylinder with a third set of openings in said rotor to form a third flow communication mode.

A method for controlling cooling of an internal combustion engine for a locomotive or off highway vehicle having a number of engine components receiving and discharging engine coolant via a single control valve assembly having a plurality of flow connection modes, the method comprising:

• (a) providing fluid flow connections between said engine and a cooling system comprising a coolant storage tank, a coolant pump, a radiator, and an intercooler;
• (b) connecting said control valve into said fluid flow connections to selectively open and block flow through the connections;
• (c) flowing a coolant from said cooling tank to a liquid coolant jacket of said engine;
• (d) flowing said coolant from said coolant jacket to a rotary valve assembly;
• (e) determining the relationship between an engine temperature operating range and the fluid flow connection mode of said valve assembly;
• (f) sensing the temperature of the engine;
• and
• (g) configuring said valve assembly to the selected fluid flow connection mode for controlling the cooling said engine.