Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Michele Bilancia

Morena Bruno

Eugene Victor Gonze

Lawrence P Ziehr

Igor Anilovich

Cameron P Smith

Kyle Holihan

Michael H Carlson

Daniel A Bialas

Tanner E Goeson

Giorgio Sticchi

Min Sun

Stephen Paul Levijoki

Akram R Zahdeh

John W Siekkinen

Michelangelo Ardanese

Stefano Cassani

Simone Barbero

Luis Daniel Guerrero Cruz

William C Saindon

Simone Bambagioni

Salvatore Mafrici

A system and method for managing thermal energy of a vehicle having a battery and an electric propulsion system are provided. The system monitors a current battery temperature, calculates an actual average battery temperature, and compares the calculated actual average battery temperature to a target lifetime battery temperature. If the actual average battery temperature is greater than the target lifetime battery temperature, and the current battery temperature is greater than the target lifetime battery temperature, the system cools the battery to below the current battery temperature. However, if the actual average battery temperature is less than the target lifetime battery temperature, and the current battery temperature is greater than the target lifetime battery temperature, the system delays cooling the battery. Therefore, the system may avoid expending energy to cool the battery in certain conditions.

Battery thermal management

A method for managing thermal energy of a vehicle having a battery and an electric propulsion system is provided. The system monitors a current battery temperature, after the vehicle is connected to an outside power source at a plug time, and determines an outside air temperature. The system predicts a cabin heating temperature for a subsequent drive cycle. The subsequent drive cycle occurs when the vehicle is no longer connected to the outside power source. If the predicted cabin heating temperature is greater than the outside air temperature, the system heats the battery to a thermal storage temperature that is greater than a target operating temperature of the battery. Therefore, thermal energy is stored within the battery, and may be transferred to heat the cabin.

Disclosed are two-valve, split-layout engine cooling systems, methods for making and method for operating such cooling systems, engine coolant valve assembly configurations, and vehicles equipped with an active thermal management system for cooling select powertrain components. A disclosed thermal management system includes a radiator for cooling coolant fluid, and a coolant pump for circulating coolant fluid received from the radiator. A set of conduits fluidly connect the coolant pump to an engine block, a cylinder head, and an exhaust manifold. Another set of conduits fluidly connect the engine block, cylinder head, and exhaust manifold to the radiator, coolant pump, and one or more oil heaters. A first valve assembly is operable to regulate coolant flow between the coolant pump and the radiator. A second valve assembly is operable to regulate coolant fluid flow, individually and jointly, between the engine block, cylinder head, exhaust manifold, radiator, coolant pump, and oil heater(s).

Thermal management systems, coolant valves and control logic for vehicle powertrains

A heat management system is provided for an automotive system having a plurality of heat manageable components. The heat management system includes a plurality of heat transferring path having a plurality of heat pipes, and a heat exchanger for each of the heat manageable component of the automotive system. The heat pipes are configured to transfer heat from at least one of the heat exchanger to another heat exchanger.

Heat management system for an automotive system

A cooling system selectively cools an engine and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) component of the engine. The cooling system includes a plumbing system with a plurality of flow branches, including an engine branch, an EGR branch, and a feed branch. The engine branch defines an engine flow passage through which the coolant flows to cool the engine. The EGR branch defines an EGR flow passage through which the coolant flows to cool the EGR component. The feed branch defines a feed flow passage. The cooling system has a first operating configuration in which the EGR flow passage is configured to receive coolant flow from the engine flow passage. The cooling system has a second operating configuration in which the EGR flow passage is configured to receive coolant flow from the feed flow passage instead of the engine flow passage.

Cooling system having variable coolant flow paths for exhaust gas recirculation system

A computer program, system and method are provided for thermally regulating an injector injecting a reducing agent into an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine. A pump is activated to deliver a coolant in a coolant circuit having a portion in heat exchange relation with the injector. A value is determined for a mass flow rate of the coolant delivered by the pump. A value is calculated for a temperature of the injector as a function of the determined value of the mass flow rate. A difference is calculated between the calculated value of the injector temperature and a predetermined set-point value thereof, and the mass flow rate of the coolant delivered by the pump is adjusted on the basis of the calculated difference.

Method for thermally regulating an injector for injecting a reducing agent into an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine

A method of operating a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The engine is equipped with an engine head, and the cooling circuit includes a pump configured to deliver a variable flow of coolant through the cooling circuit. A coolant flow rate to be delivered by the pump is calculated as a function of an engine load, an engine speed and a desired engine head temperature, and the pump is operated to deliver the calculated coolant flow rate.

Method of controlling a cooling circuit of an internal combustion engine

A method of estimating a current soot output from an engine includes sensing a mass flow rate of a flow of exhaust gas from the engine, and defining a soot output base rate of the engine when the engine is operating at a reference state. A soot ratio for a current operating state of the engine is calculated. The mass flow rate, the soot output base rate, and the soot ratio are multiplied together to define an estimated value of the current soot output from the engine. The soot ratio is based on current engine operating parameters, including an air/fuel ratio of the engine, an exhaust gas recirculation ratio of the engine, a fuel injection pressure of the engine, and a fuel injection timing of the engine.

Method of estimating soot output from an engine

A cooling system for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The cooling system includes a radiator for exchanging heat between a coolant and ambient air, and a coolant pump for circulating the coolant. The coolant system further includes a first set of fluid connection branches between the coolant pump and the engine block, the cylinder head and the exhaust manifold and a second set of fluid connection branches between the engine block, cylinder head and exhaust manifold and the radiator and/or the coolant pump. A first controlled valve intercepts the coolant towards the radiator so that the coolant is recirculated towards the coolant pump. A second controlled valve intercepts the coolant from the cylinder block. A third controlled valve intercepts the coolant from the integrated exhaust manifold.

Cooling system for an internal combustion engine

A method for performing on/off diagnosis of a smart cooling pump for an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having an inner liner layer, an external engine block layer, and a coolant layer placed between the inner liner layer and the external engine block layer, wherein the smart cooling pump pumps a coolant fluid inside the coolant layer is provided.

Method for performing on/off diagnosis of a smart cooling pump for an internal combustion engine

A system includes a pump control module and a pump diagnostic module. The pump control module switches a switchable water pump from off to on. The pump diagnostic module diagnoses a fault in the switchable water pump based on a first difference between an engine material temperature and an engine coolant temperature when the switchable water pump is switched from off to on. The engine coolant temperature is a temperature of coolant circulated through an engine and the engine material temperature is a temperature of at least one of an engine block and a cylinder head.

Diagnostic system and method for a switchable water pump

A system includes a temperature determination module and a flow determination module. The temperature determination module determines an engine coolant temperature based on input received from an engine coolant temperature sensor and determines an engine material temperature based on input received from an engine material temperature sensor. The engine coolant temperature is a temperature of coolant in an engine, and the engine material temperature is a temperature of at least one of an engine block and a cylinder head. The flow determination module selectively determines coolant flow through the engine based on the engine coolant temperature and the engine material temperature.

System and method for determining coolant flow in an engine

Methods for diagnosing a fault of an oil piston cooling jets valve of an internal combustion engine are provided. A method includes sensing a pressure value in a main oil gallery and checking whether the oil piston cooling jets valve is commanded in a state for opening a communication between the main oil gallery and an auxiliary oil gallery or in a state for closing the communication. A pressure value in the auxiliary oil gallery is checked to as to whether it exceeds a predetermined threshold value thereof, above which a jet nozzle of the auxiliary oil gallery automatically opens. A fault of the valve is identified if the pressure value in the main oil gallery exceeds the predetermined threshold value by a predetermined quantity and if a pressure value in the auxiliary oil gallery is different than expected on a basis of the state of the valve.

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Turin, Italy

Michele Bilancia