System and method of thermal management for an engine

An engine thermal management system for a vehicle having an exhaust gas system, a transmission, and an engine having a cylinder head and an integrated exhaust manifold (IEM), the engine thermal management system comprising:

• a coolant pump;
• an engine water jacket configured to receive coolant from the coolant pump and further configured to expel coolant from an IEM coolant outlet, wherein the IEM coolant outlet is cast into the integrated exhaust manifold, wherein the engine water jacket includes:
• an engine block cooling jacket and a lower head cooling jacket, each configured to receive coolant from the coolant pump;
• and
• an upper head cooling jacket configured to receive coolant from at least one of the coolant pump and the lower head cooling jacket and further configured to expel coolant from the IEM coolant outlet;
• a plurality of flow control valves configured to receive coolant from at least one of the coolant pump and the engine water jacket;
• a heater core configured to receive coolant from at least one of the plurality of flow control valves;
• a transmission heat exchanger configured to receive coolant from at least one of the coolant pump and the engine water jacket via at least one of the plurality of flow control valves;
• an engine oil heat exchanger configured to receive coolant from at least one of the coolant pump and the engine water jacket via at least one of the plurality of flow control valves;
• a radiator configured to receive coolant from at least one of the plurality of flow control valves, the transmission heat exchanger, and the engine oil heat exchanger;
• a controller configured to control at least the coolant pump and the plurality of flow control valves, the controller having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions, wherein executing the recorded instructions causes the processor to direct flow of coolant through the engine thermal management system;
• wherein the plurality of flow control valves includes:
• a first flow control valve configured to occupy one of an open position and a closed position, the first flow control valve further configured to receive coolant from the engine block cooling jacket;
• a second flow control valve configured to occupy one of a first position, a second position, a third position, and a fourth position, such that the second flow control valve receives coolant from the upper head cooling jacket and expels warm coolant to each of the transmission heat exchanger and the engine oil heat exchanger when occupying the second position, expels coolant to the heater core when occupying the third position, and expels coolant to a third flow control valve when occupying the fourth position;
• a mode selection valve configured to occupy one of a first position and a second position, such that when the mode selection valve occupies the first position the mode selection valve receives coolant from the second flow control valve and expels coolant to each of the transmission heat exchanger and the engine oil heat exchanger, and such that when the mode selection valve occupies the second position the mode selection valve receives coolant from the coolant pump and expels coolant to each of the transmission heat exchanger and the engine oil heat exchanger;
• and
• the third flow control valve configured to occupy one of a first position, a second position, and a third position, the third flow control valve further configured to receive coolant from one of the lower head cooling jacket, the first flow control valve, and the second flow control valve and further configured to expel coolant to the coolant pump when occupying the second position and to expel coolant to the radiator when occupying the third position;
• and
• wherein the coolant flowing through the engine water jacket and expelled from the IEM coolant outlet is in heat exchange relation with the cylinder head of the engine, which is in heat exchange relation with a heated exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust gas system, such that the coolant flowing through the engine water jacket absorbs heat from the heated exhaust gas via the cylinder head resulting in a heated coolant which is expelled from the IEM coolant outlet and selectively routed by the controller to one of the heater core, the engine oil heat exchanger, the transmission heat exchanger, and the radiator via the plurality of flow control valves.