Temperature control apparatus and method for an automotive cooling system

A temperature control valve 10 for regulating a flow of coolant 15 in an automotive cooling system 11 that includes an engine 12 and a radiator 14, the temperature control valve 10 comprising:

• a valve body 40 having an inlet 42 and an outlet 46;
• a first valve assembly 100 that is moveable between a closed position, wherein the inlet 42 is not in fluid communication with the outlet 46, and an open position, wherein the inlet 42 is in fluid communication with the outlet 46, and the first valve assembly includes a flexible diaphragm 106;
• a chamber 74 adjacent to the first valve assembly 100, wherein a fluid pressure within the chamber 74 moves the first valve assembly 100 between the open position and the closed position;
• a second valve assembly 130 configured to regulate the fluid pressure within the chamber 74 to thereby move the first valve assembly 100 between the open position and the closed position, wherein the second valve assembly 130 includes an electrically-operated valve;
• a temperature sensor 22 to detect the temperature of the engine 12 and provide a temperature signal;
• an electronic control unit 18 in electrical communication with the second valve assembly 130 and the temperature sensor 22, wherein the electronic control unit 18 moves the second valve assembly 130 between the open and closed positions to control the temperature of the engine 12 in response to the temperature signal;
• and
• a fuel type sensor 26 to detect the type of fuel used by the engine 12 and provide a fuel type signal, the fuel type sensor 26 in electrical communication with the electronic control unit 18, wherein the electronic control unit moves the second valve assembly 130 between the open and closed positions to control the temperature of the engine 12 within either a first operating temperature range or a second operating temperature range, wherein the electronic control unit 18 selects either the first operating temperature range or the second operating temperature range based on the fuel type signal.

A temperature control valve 10 for regulating a flow of coolant 15 in an automotive cooling system 11 that includes an engine 12 and a radiator 14, the temperature control valve 10 comprising:

• a valve body 40 having an inlet 42 and an outlet 46;
• a first valve assembly 100 that is moveable between a closed position, wherein the inlet 42 is not in fluid communication with the outlet 46, and an open position, wherein the inlet 42 is in fluid communication with the outlet 46;
• a temperature sensor 22 to detect the temperature of the engine 12 and provide a temperature signal;
• a fuel type sensor 26 to detect the type of fuel used by the engine 12 and provide a fuel type signal;
• and
• an electronic control unit 18 that is in electrical communication with the temperature sensor and the fuel type sensor and is operable to cause the first valve assembly to move between the open position and the closed position to control the temperature of the engine 12 within an operating temperature range that is selected by the electronic control unit 18 based at least in part on the fuel type signal.

A method for regulating a flow of coolant in an automotive cooling system 11 that includes an engine 12 and a radiator 14, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a temperature control valve 10 having a first valve assembly 100 to selectively open and close a first flow path between an inlet 42 and an outlet 46 to selectively provide the flow of coolant 15 to the engine 12 and a second valve assembly 130 to selectively open and close a second flow path between an inlet 42 and an outlet 46, the second flow path in fluid communication with the first valve assembly 100 such that the first valve assembly 100 opens when the second valve assembly 130 is opened and the first valve assembly 100 closes when the second valve assembly 130 is closed;
• detecting the temperature of the engine 12;
• controlling the temperature of the engine 12 based on the temperature of the engine 12 by selectively opening and closing the second valve assembly 130;
• and
• detecting the type of fuel used by the engine 12;
• and
• controlling the temperature of the engine 12 in either a first operating temperature range or a second operating temperature range based on the type of fuel used by the engine 12.