Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Mark John Jennings

David Richens Brigham

Quazi Ehtesham Hussain

William Samuel Schwartz

Michael Benjamin Levin

Furqan Zafar Shaikh

Danrich Henry Demitroff

Alexander Timofeevich Zaremba

Donald Masch

James Patrick O'Neill

Chad Allan Baker

Mohammad Shakiba-herfeh

Kukhyun Ahn

David Allen Janson

Perry Robinson Macneille

Oleg Yurievitch Gusikhin

Gregory Daniel Goleski

Edward Andrew Pleet

Brian Petersen

David Gon Oh

Xiaowu Zhang

Douglas Bradley Bell

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 for operating a hybrid driveline that includes an engine and an electric machine are presented. In one non-limiting example, the engine and electric machine are operated according to a solution of a Hamiltonian that includes a first co-state and a second co-state, an engine fuel flow parameter, a rate of change of battery state of charge parameter, and an emissions flow rate parameter.

System and method for improving vehicle driveline operation

A vehicle subsystem according to an exemplary aspect of the present discourse includes, among other things, a wall structure and a thermal resistance feature internal to the wall structure and configured to inhibit heat loss through the wall structure.

Insulated vehicle wall structures

A transmission includes first, second, and third planetary gear sets (PGS). A first electric machine is fixedly coupled to a sun gear of the first PGS. A second electric machine is fixedly coupled to a carrier of the first PGS. A brake is selectively holding a ring gear of the first PGS against rotation. First and second clutches selectively couple the first and second electric machines, respectively, to a portion of the second and third PGS, respectively.

Multi-mode hybrid powertrain

Systems and methods for operating an engine that includes an exhaust gas heat recovery system are described. The system may reduce engine warm-up time and increase an amount of time an engine of a hybrid vehicle is deactivated while the hybrid vehicle is powered by a motor. In one example, a phase change material selectively stores and releases exhaust gas energy from and engine to improve vehicle operation.

Methods and systems for utilizing waste heat for a hybrid vehicle

A hybrid vehicle includes powertrain components such as an engine, an automatic transmission, and a traction motor selectively coupled to the engine via a clutch and to the transmission. At least one controller is programmed to control these powertrain components. The vehicle is driven over a drive cycle that includes multiple engine starts and transmission gear shifts. An amount of fuel consumption used during these engine starts and transmissions gear shifts is stored on an on-board storage device. Subsequently, the engine is inhibited from starting and the transmission is inhibited from shifting gears based on the amount of fuel consumption associated with the engine starts and transmission gear shifts performed during the drive cycle as recalled from the storage device.

Minimizing engine pull-ups and gear shifts in a hybrid vehicle

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.

Controller for exhaust heat conversion to heat and electricity

A vehicle includes a powertrain having an engine and at least one controller. The controller is programmed to selectively heat at least one of a plurality of components of the powertrain with a given amount of waste heat based on an expected decrease in friction power associated with an expected increase in temperature from the given amount of waste heat for each of the components.

Selective powertrain heating system

Systems and methods for operating an engine that includes an exhaust gas heat recovery system are described. The system may selectively or contemporaneously supply energy from engine exhaust gas to generate electricity or warm the engine. In one example, exhaust gas energy raises a temperature of a heat transfer medium and the heat transfer medium is routed to an engine coolant heat exchanger or an expander via a bypass valve.

Methods and systems for hybrid vehicle waste heat recovery

A computer-implemented method includes establishing a road network model on which a plurality of simulated vehicles may be run. The method also includes setting up a plurality of scenarios under which vehicle driving conditions vary to be run on the road network model. The illustrative method includes receiving energy usage related data for a plurality of simulated vehicles run in at least one of the plurality of scenarios on the road network model. The method further includes calculating a total energy consumption for each of the vehicles. The method additionally includes repeating the receiving and calculating steps to determine how various elements of the road network model and scenarios effect vehicle energy consumption.

Methods and apparatus for estimating power usage

A method for controlling a vehicle including a fuel cell system and an energy storage unit includes, if the fuel cell system is charging the energy storage unit, determining an average ratio of (i) a change in energy stored in the energy storage unit and (ii) a mass of hydrogen consumed by the fuel cell system to generate the change in energy stored in the energy storage unit. The method also includes, if the fuel cell system is not charging the energy storage unit, selecting a target operating power for the fuel cell system based on vehicle power demand and the determined ratio that sufficiently minimizes drive cycle hydrogen consumption by the fuel cell system.

Method and system for power control in an automotive vehicle

A propulsion system includes a first torque producing arrangement including an electric machine configured to a first energy source supplying electrical energy to the electric machine. The system also includes a second torque producing arrangement having an engine connected to a second energy source configured to supply gaseous fuel to the engine. The system has a hydrogen production system having an electrolyzer, a water source, a hydrogen dispensing and loading system, and a connection to an electricity grid. Hydrogen is loaded to the second energy source when the electrolyzer is electrolyzing the water. The engine further connects to a third energy source configured to supply a non-hydrogen fuel to the engine. The system has a controller electrically connected to the motor and the engine capable of selecting the propulsion component and the fuel source.

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Saline, MI, United States of America

Mark John Jennings