Method and assembly for heating an engine fluid

• Main Authors: Dondzila, Erik, Hancasky, Robert David, Haladyna, Ted, Amin, Md Shahnoor
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.09.2020
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS INVEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OFTRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GASEXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS, IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; BLASTING; CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE ORDIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; CRANKCASE VENTILATING; ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT OR PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLEDVEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES, IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; HEATING; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; LIGHTING; LUBRICATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TOTHE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT; STEAM ENGINES; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; WEAPONS

An exemplary fluid heating method includes, among other things, operating an engine of a vehicle to heat an engine fluid during a drive cycle if the vehicle is in a fluid maintenance mode, and heating the fluid prior to the drive cycle if the vehicle is in the fluid maintenance mode and the vehicle is electrically coupled to a grid power source. An exemplary fluid heating assembly includes, among other things, an engine of an electrified vehicle, and a fluid heater that is activated to heat a fluid of the engine in response to the electrified vehicle being in a fluid maintenance mode when electrically coupled to a grid power source.