Exhaust coolant system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11293330-B2
Application number	US-201815734628-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2018
Priority date	Jun 12, 2018
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A system includes an engine defining a water jacket fluidly coupled to a heat exchanger. An exhaust manifold defines an exhaust manifold cooling passage. A pump is fluidly coupled to the water jacket, and to each of the heat exchanger and the exhaust manifold cooling passage. An engine cooling circuit includes the water jacket, the heat exchanger, and the pump. An exhaust cooling circuit is selectively fluidly coupled to the engine cooling circuit. The exhaust cooling circuit includes the water jacket, the exhaust manifold cooling passage, and the pump. A control valve includes an inlet fluidly coupled to a first portion of the water jacket. A first outlet is fluidly coupled to a second portion of the water jacket. A second outlet is fluidly coupled to the exhaust cooling circuit. The control valve is structured to selectively control flow of coolant fluid through the second outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
an engine defining a water jacket;
a heat exchanger in coolant fluid receiving communication with the water jacket, the heat exchanger structured to remove heat from the coolant fluid;
an exhaust manifold in exhaust gas receiving communication with the engine, the exhaust manifold defining an exhaust manifold cooling passage;
a pump in coolant fluid providing communication with the water jacket, the pump in coolant fluid receiving communication with each of the heat exchanger and the exhaust manifold cooling passage;
an engine cooling circuit comprising the water jacket, the heat exchanger, and the pump;
an exhaust cooling circuit in coolant fluid receiving communication with the engine cooling circuit, the exhaust cooling circuit comprising the water jacket, the exhaust manifold cooling passage, and the pump; and
a control valve, comprising:
an inlet in coolant fluid receiving communication with a first portion of the water jacket,
a first outlet in coolant fluid providing communication with a second portion of the water jacket, and
a second outlet in coolant fluid providing communication with the exhaust cooling circuit,
the control valve structured to selectively control flow of coolant fluid through the second outlet.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a turbocharger in exhaust gas receiving communication with the exhaust manifold, the turbocharger defining a turbine cooling passage in coolant fluid receiving communication with the second outlet of the control valve, and in coolant fluid providing communication with the exhaust manifold cooling passage,
wherein the exhaust cooling circuit further comprises the turbine cooling passage.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising an exhaust aftertreatment component in exhaust gas receiving communication with the turbocharger, the exhaust aftertreatment system structured to remove a contaminant from the exhaust gas flowing therethrough.

4. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
an expansion tank;
a first drain line in coolant fluid receiving communication with the turbine cooling passage and in coolant fluid providing communication with the expansion tank; and
a second drain line in coolant fluid receiving communication with the exhaust manifold cooling passage and in coolant fluid providing communication with the expansion tank.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first check valve positioned in the first drain line so as to prevent backflow of the coolant fluid to the turbine cooling passage; and
a second check valve positioned in the second drain line so as to prevent backflow of the coolant fluid to the exhaust manifold cooling passage.

6. The system of claim 4 ,
wherein the control valve is controllable between a first position in which the coolant fluid flows through the second outlet, and a second position, in which the coolant fluid is prevented from flowing through the second outlet,
wherein, when the control valve is in the second position, an outlet of the exhaust manifold cooling passage operates as a drain so as to transfer the coolant fluid from the exhaust cooling circuit to the engine cooling circuit.

7. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first temperature sensor operatively coupled to the exhaust manifold, the first temperature sensor structured to measure a first surface temperature of the exhaust manifold; and
a controller operatively coupled to each of the first temperature sensor and the control valve, the controller comprising:
an operating conditions circuit structured to:
receive, from the first temperature sensor, a first temperature measurement value relating to the first surface temperature, and
determine the first surface temperature by interpreting the received first surface temperature value; and

an exhaust coolant control circuit structured to, in response to the first surface temperature exceeding a first predetermined value, transmit a first control signal to the control valve so as to actuate the control valve to a first position so as to permit coolant fluid to flow through the exhaust cooling circuit.

8. The system of claim 7 ,
wherein the coolant fluid flows through the engine cooling circuit at a first flow rate, and
wherein the exhaust coolant control circuit is structured to actuate the control valve to a third position so as to cause the coolant fluid to flow through the exhaust cooling circuit at a second flow rate different than the first flow rate.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the exhaust coolant control circuit is structured to define the second flow rate as a lowest possible value required to prevent the first surface temperature from exceeding the first predetermined value.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the exhaust coolant control circuit is structured to define the second flow rate as the lowest possible value required to further prevent the coolant fluid from boiling.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the exhaust coolant control circuit is structured to define the second flow rate so as to minimize an amount of energy transmitted from the exhaust gas to the coolant fluid.

12. The system of claim 7 ,
wherein the operating conditions circuit is further structured to:
receive, from the first temperature sensor, a second temperature measurement value relating to a second surface temperature of the exhaust manifold, and
determine the second surface temperature by interpreting the received second surface temperature value; and

wherein the exhaust coolant control circuit is further structured to, in response to the second surface temperature falling below a second predetermined value, transmit a fourth control signal to the control valve so as to actuate the control valve to a second position so as to prevent coolant fluid flow through the exhaust cooling circuit.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a turbocharger in exhaust gas receiving communication with the exhaust manifold, the turbocharger defining a turbine cooling passage in coolant fluid receiving communication with the exhaust manifold cooling passage, and in coolant fluid providing communication with the engine cooling circuit,
wherein the exhaust cooling circuit further comprises the turbine cooling passage.

14. A method, comprising:
providing an engine cooling system, comprising a pump structured to circulate a coolant fluid through an engine cooling circuit, the engine cooling circuit comprising a water jacket of an engine, and a heat exchanger;
providing an exhaust cooling system, comprising:
a control valve, and
an exhaust cooling circuit selectively fluidly coupled to the engine cooling circuit via the control valve, the exhaust cooling circuit comprising an exhaust manifold cooling passage defined by an exhaust manifold;

receiving, from a first temperature sensor operatively coupled to the exhaust manifold, a first temperature measurement value relating to a first surface temperature of the exhaust manifold;
determining the first surface temperature by interpreting the first temperature measurement value; and
in response to the first surface temperature exceeding a first predetermined value, transmitting a first control signal to the control valve so as to actuate the control valve to a first position so as to permit coolant fluid to flow through the exhaust cooling circuit.

15. The method of claim 14 ,
wherein the exhaust cooling system further comprises:
an expansion tank,
a first drain line in coolant fluid receiving communication with the exhaust manifold cooling passage a

Assignees

• Cummins Inc

Inventors

• Chrastil Brandon E
• Whittington Doyle E

Classifications

• F01P11/0276

  Draining or purging · CPC title

• F01P2003/021

  Cooling cylinders · CPC title

• F01P3/02

  Arrangements for cooling cylinders or cylinder heads · CPC title

• F01P3/202

  for outboard marine engines · CPC title

• F01P3/12 Primary

  Arrangements for cooling other engine or machine parts · CPC title