Thermal management system for a vehicle and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9796244-B2
Application number	US-201414158012-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2014
Priority date	Jan 17, 2014
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

A thermal management system and method for a vehicle can include providing an engine, a transmission, a radiator, and a thermostat. A first heat exchanger can be in fluid communication with the transmission to heat or cool transmission fluid. A hot branch line can extend from the engine to the first heat exchanger to supply engine coolant to the first heat exchanger. The hot branch line can be in fluid communication with each of the engine and the first heat exchanger. A heat exchanger return line can be in fluid communication with each of the first heat exchanger and an inlet of the thermostat.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal management system for a vehicle including an engine and a transmission, the system comprising:
a radiator configured for fluid communication with the engine;
a thermostat including an inlet, an outlet, and a valve structure, the inlet being in fluid communication with the radiator, the outlet being configured for fluid communication with the engine, and the valve structure movable between a first position and a second position such that when the valve is in the first position the valve substantially prevents fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet, and when the valve is in the second position the inlet is in fluid communication with the outlet;
a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the transmission;
a hot branch line extending from the engine to the first heat exchanger and in fluid communication with each of the engine and the first heat exchanger; and
a heat exchanger return line in fluid communication with each of the first heat exchanger and the inlet of the thermostat such that the valve structure closes fluid communication between the heat exchanger return line and the outlet of the thermostat when the valve structure is in the first position and the valve structure opens fluid communication between the heat exchanger return line and the outlet of the thermostat when the valve structure is in the second position.

2. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a heater core in ambient fluid communication with a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the heater core being in separate fluid communication with the engine and the outlet of the thermostat such that fluid from the heater core returns directly to the engine and fluid from the engine flows to the heater core along a first circuit, and fluid from the engine flows to the first heat exchanger along a second circuit, and the first circuit and second circuit are parallel circuits with respect to each other.

3. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a heater core in ambient fluid communication with a passenger compartment of the vehicle,
a first fluid circuit in fluid communication with the engine and the heater core such that during operation fluid flows from the engine to the heater core, then flows through the heater core, and then flows from the heater core to the outlet of the thermostat; and
a second fluid circuit in fluid communication with the engine and the first heat exchanger such that during operation fluid flows from the engine to the first heat exchanger, flows through the first heat exchanger, and then flows to the inlet of the thermostat.

4. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a heater core, wherein,
the engine includes a first bank having at least a first cylinder and a second bank having at least a second cylinder,
the first bank is in fluid communication with the hot branch line, and
the second bank is in fluid communication with the heater core.

5. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a main fluid supply line in fluid communication with each of the engine and the radiator; and
a radiator valve positioned in the main fluid supply line at a position between the engine and the radiator, the radiator valve configured to selectively operate in a first mode and selectively operate in a second mode, wherein
when in the first mode, the flow rate of fluid to the first heat exchanger is substantially unchanged, and
when in the second mode, the flow rate of fluid to the first heat exchanger is increased as compared to the flow rate when the radiator valve operates in the first mode.

6. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a main fluid return line in fluid communication with each of the engine and the radiator;
a radiator valve positioned in the main fluid return line at a position between the engine and the radiator;
a heater core;
a heater supply line in fluid communication with the engine and the heater core; and
an HVAC valve positioned in the heater supply line between the engine and the heater core.

7. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , wherein the hot branch line consists essentially of a line and a control valve connected between the engine and the first heat exchanger.

8. The thermal management system according to claim 7 , wherein the control valve is in direct fluid communication with the radiator.

9. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , wherein the hot branch line consists essentially of a line connected between the engine and the first heat exchanger.

10. The thermal management system according to claim 1 further comprising:
a cold branch line in fluid communication with the radiator; and
a valve in fluid communication with the hot branch line, the cold branch line, and the heat exchanger and configured to selectively connect the hot branch line in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and to selectively connect the cold branch line in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger.

11. The thermal management system according to claim 1 further comprising:
a main fluid supply line in fluid communication with each of the radiator and the inlet of the thermostat;
a cold branch line connected to the main fluid supply at a position between the radiator and the inlet of the thermostat and in fluid communication with the radiator; and
a valve in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and the cold branch line and configured to selectively connect the cold branch line in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger.

12. The thermal management system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second heat exchanger; and
a valve in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger and the transmission and configured to selectively operate in a first mode and selectively operate in a second mode, wherein
when in the first mode, fluid from the first heat exchanger bypasses the second heat exchanger and flows to the transmission, and
when in the second mode, fluid from the first heat exchanger flows through the second heat exchanger and then flows to the transmission.

13. The thermal management system according to claim 1 further comprising:
a heater core in fluid communication with the engine;
an exhaust pipe in fluid communication with the engine; and
a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the exhaust pipe and the heater core.

14. The thermal management system according to claim 13 wherein,
the second heat exchanger is located within the exhaust pipe.

15. The thermal management system according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a by-pass valve configured to selectively operate in a first mode and selectively operate in a second mode;
a heater supply line in fluid communication with the engine and the by-pass valve;
an intermediate line in fluid communication with the by-pass valve and the heater core;
an exchanger supply line in fluid communication with the by-pass valve and the second heat exchanger;
an exchanger return line in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger and the intermediate line; and
a heater return line in fluid communication with the heater core and the engine, wherein,
when the by-pass valve operates in the first mode, fluid from the heater supply line bypasses the second heat exchanger and flows to the heater core, and
when the by-pass valve operates in the second mode, fluid from the heater supply line flows through the

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Cook Michael D
• Scott Matthew R
• Pelaez Joaquin A
• Bressau Timothy

Classifications

• F01P2060/045

  for transmissions · CPC title

• F01P3/20

  Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine (F01P3/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01N5/02

  the devices using heat · CPC title

• F01P2060/08

  Cabin heater · CPC title

• B60H1/04 Primary

  from cooling liquid of the plant {(B60H1/025, B60H1/03 take precedence)} · CPC title