A Cooling System for a Motor Vehicle Engine

• Main Authors: IAN GRAHAM PEGG, MITCHELL JAMES PIDDOCK, LES WILLIAM ROUTLEDGE, FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 07.06.2006
• Subjects: BLASTING; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; HEATING; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; STEAM ENGINES; WEAPONS

A cooling system for an internal combustion engine 1 has a coolant circuit through which a coolant is circulated by a pump 2, and includes at least one electronically controlled flow control valve 9 located at a coolant outlet from the engine. The system may include an actuator (10 fig 2) and at least one sensor 11 associated with each electronically controlled valve. The system may also include a thermostat 12, a radiator 15, a degas reservoir 14, and a cabin heater 13. The valve actuator may be operated by engine vacuum, and controlled by a valve control unit 17 which receives control signals from an electronic control module 18. The electronic control module may receive a variety of input signals, such as vehicle parameters 19, power-train parameters 20, cooling parameters 21, etc. The condition of the valve may be monitored to determine the degree of valve opening, by use of a sensor which may comprise a rotary potentiometer. The positioning of the valve at the outlet of the engine permits the pump to increase pressure within the engine but without subjecting other cooling system components to this pressure increase. When several electronically controlled flow control valves are used, the arrangement permits separate control of coolant through the cylinder block (50 fig 4) and the cylinder head (60 fig 4).