Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Chad Allan Baker

William Samuel Schwartz

Michael James Uhrich

Gregory McConville

Daniel Joseph Styles

Timothy Noah Blatchley

Mark John Jennings

Karen Evelyn Bevan

Quazi Ehtesham Hussain

David Richens Brigham

A vehicle powertrain component includes a thermal transfer surface that transfers thermal energy out of a powertrain component and a thermally active material disposed over the thermal transfer surface. The thermally active material includes a variable thermal conductivity and an actuator coupled to the thermally active material induces changes in the thermal conductivity of the thermally active material. A controller governs operation of the actuator to adjust the thermal conductivity of the thermally active material responsive to a vehicle operating condition to maintain the powertrain component within a predefined temperature range.

Actively controlled thermal conductivity for powertrain thermal management

Methods and systems are provided for exhaust heat recovery and EGR cooling via a single heat exchanger. In one example, a method may include selecting a specific mode of operation of an engine exhaust system with the heat exchanger based on engine operating conditions and an estimated fuel efficacy factor. The fuel efficiency factor may take into account fuel efficacy benefits from EGR and exhaust heat recovery.

Method and system for exhaust gas recirculation and heat recovery

Methods and systems are provided for a single heat exchanger coupled to a main exhaust passage upstream of one or more exhaust catalysts or in between two exhaust catalysts for exhaust heat recovery and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooling. In one example, in the pre-catalyst configuration of the heat exchanger, during exhaust heat recovery, a portion of exhaust may be routed via the heat exchanger while the remaining portion of exhaust may be routed directly to the exhaust catalysts, and fueling may be adjusted on a per-cylinder basis to maintain a target exhaust air-fuel-ratio at the exhaust catalysts.

An engine system is provided. The engine system may include an exhaust gas heat exchanger valve including an actuatable valve plate, a valve actuation assembly adjusting the position of the valve plate through operation of mechanical linkage coupled to the valve plate, and a flow reversal valve positioned in a coolant passage, the flow reversal valve configured to reverse the coolant flow in a flapper coolant conduit to trigger actuation of the mechanical linkage.

Exhaust gas recirculation system and method for operation thereof

An exhaust gas heat recovery system for a vehicle is configured to selectively distribute a fluid heated by engine exhaust to a first path for generating electricity and a second path for heating one or more powertrain components of the vehicle. A controller selects a distribution of the fluid to the first and second paths based on minimizing a fuel consumption of an engine. The controller further selects a distribution of fluid to the powertrain components to minimize fuel consumption. The controller distributes the fluid according to the selected distribution.

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Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America

Chad Allan Baker