System for heating temperature control fluid using the engine exhaust manifold

Claim 1

A system for heating a flow of temperature control fluid, the temperature control fluid being operative for heating and cooling an internal combustion engine, the system comprising: a first temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of temperature control fluid; a second temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of engine oil; an exhaust manifold for exhausting heated gases from the engine; an exhaust input tube adapted to direct a flow of temperature control fluid from the engine; an exhaust output tube adapted to direct a flow of temperature control fluid to the engine; an exhaust heat assembly connected to the exhaust input and output tubes and adapted for channeling a flow of temperature control fluid from the exhaust input tube to the exhaust output tube, the exhaust heat assembly being located adjacent to the exhaust manifold and adapted to permit heat transfer from the heated gases in the exhaust manifold to the temperature control fluid in the exhaust heat assembly; a first flow control valve in fluid communication with the exhaust input tube; and an engine computer for controlling the flow of the temperature control fluid through the exhaust heat assembly by actuating the first flow control valve, the engine computer receiving signals from the first and second temperature sensors, the engine computer actuating the flow control valve so as to permit the flow of temperature control fluid along the input exhaust tube and into the exhaust heat assembly when the sensed temperature of the engine oil is below a predetermined value and the engine computer actuating the flow control valve so as to prevent the flow of temperature control fluid along the input exhaust tube and through the exhaust heat assembly when the sensed temperature of the temperature control fluid is above a predetermined value.

Claim 2

A system for heating a flow of temperature control fluid, the temperature control fluid being operative for heating and cooling an internal combustion engine, the system comprising: a first temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of temperature control fluid; a second temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of engine oil; an exhaust manifold for exhausting heated gases from the engine; an exhaust input tube adapted to direct a flow of temperature control fluid from the engine; an exhaust output tube adapted to direct a flow of temperature control fluid to the engine; an exhaust heat assembly connected to the exhaust input and output tubes and adapted for channeling a flow of temperature control fluid from the exhaust input tube to the exhaust output tube, the exhaust heat assembly being located adjacent to the exhaust manifold and adapted to permit heat transfer from the heated gases in the exhaust manifold to the temperature control fluid in the exhaust heat assembly; a first flow control valve in fluid communication with the exhaust input tube; and an engine computer for controlling the flow of the temperature control fluid through the exhaust heat assembly by actuating the first flow control valve, the engine computer receiving signals from the first and second temperature sensors, the engine computer actuating the flow control valve so as to permit the flow of temperature control fluid along the input exhaust tube and into the exhaust heat assembly when the sensed temperature of the engine oil is below a predetermined value and the engine computer actuating the flow control valve so as to prevent the flow of temperature control fluid along the input exhaust tube and through the exhaust heat assembly when the sensed temperature of the temperature control fluid is above a predetermined value.

Claim 14

A system for heating a flow of temperature control fluid, the temperature control fluid being operative for heating and cooling an internal combustion engine, the engine including an engine block, a cylinder head, a radiator, an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold for exhausting heated gases from the engine, and an oil pan, the system comprising: a first temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of temperature control fluid; a second temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of engine oil; a water pump adapted for directing a temperature control fluid into the engine, the water pump including a housing, an impeller rotatably mounted within the housing, the impeller adapted for circulating the flow of temperature control fluid, a first flow channel for directing the flow of temperature control fluid into the engine block, a second flow channel for directing the flow of temperature control fluid toward the exhaust manifold, and at least one flow restrictor valve adapted for controlling the flow of temperature control fluid along the first flow channel, the flow restrictor valve being mounted to the water pump housing and being actuatable between a first position and a second position, the flow restrictor valve permitting flow of temperature control fluid along the first flow channel and restricting flow along the second flow channel when in its first position and the flow restrictor valve restricting the flow of temperature control fluid along the first flow channel and permitting flow along the second flow channel when in its second position; an engine computer for controlling the position of the flow restrictor valve based on predetermined values, the engine computer placing the flow restrictor valve in the second position when the temperature of the engine oil is below a predetermined value, and the engine computer placing the flow restrictor valve in its first position when the temperature of the temperature control fluid is above a predetermined value; an exhaust input tube adapted to direct a flow of temperature control fluid from the water pump when the flow restrictor valve is in its second position; an exhaust output tube adapted to direct a flow of temperature control fluid to the engine; and an exhaust heat assembly connected to the exhaust input and output tubes and adapted for channeling a flow of temperature control fluid from the exhaust input tube to the exhaust output tube, the exhaust heat assembly being located adjacent to the exhaust manifold and adapted to permit heat transfer from the heated gases in the exhaust manifold to the temperature control fluid in the exhaust heat assembly.

Claim 15

A system for heating a flow of temperature control fluid, the temperature control fluid being operative for heating and cooling an internal combustion engine, the engine including an engine block, a cylinder head, a radiator, an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold for exhausting heated gases from the engine, and an oil pan, the system comprising: a first temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of temperature control fluid; a second temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of engine oil; a water pump adapted for directing a temperature control fluid into the engine, the water pump including a housing, an impeller rotatably mounted within the housing, the impeller adapted for circulating the flow of temperature control fluid, a first flow channel for directing the flow of temperature control fluid into the engine block, a second flow channel for directing the flow of temperature control fluid toward the exhaust manifold, and at least one flow restrictor valve adapted for controlling the flow of temperature control fluid along the first flow channel, the flow restrictor valve being mounted to the water pump housing and being actuatable between a first position and a second position, the flow restrictor valve permitting flow of temperature control fluid along the first flow channel and restricting flow along the second flow channel when in its first position and the flow restrictor valve restricting the flow of temperature control fluid along the first flow channel and permitting flow along the second flow channel when in its second position; an engine computer for controlling the position of the flow restrictor valve based on predetermined values, the engine computer placing the flow restrictor valve in the second position when the temperature of the engine oil is below a predetermined value, and the engine computer placing the flow restrictor valve in its first position when the temperature of the temperature control fluid is above a predetermined value; an exhaust input tube adapted to direct a flow of temperature control fluid from the water pump when the flow restrictor valve is in its second position; an exhaust output tube adapted to direct a flow of temperature control fluid to the engine; and an exhaust heat assembly connected to the exhaust input and output tubes and adapted for channeling a flow of temperature control fluid from the exhaust input tube to the exhaust output tube, the exhaust heat assembly being located adjacent to the exhaust manifold and adapted to permit heat transfer from the heated gases in the exhaust manifold to the temperature control fluid in the exhaust heat assembly.

Claim 19

A method for heating a flow of temperature control fluid, the temperature control fluid being operative for heating and cooling an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine including an engine block, a cylinder head, an oil pan, an exhaust manifold, and a flow valve for controlling the flow of temperature control fluid, the method comprising the steps of: sensing a temperature of a temperature of temperature control fluid; sensing a temperature of an engine oil; comparing the sensed engine off temperature to a predetermined engine oil temperature value; comparing the sensed temperature control fluid temperature to a predetermined temperature control fluid temperature value; actuating the flow valve so as to allow temperature control fluid to flow to an exhaust manifold heating assembly mounted on the exhaust manifold when the sensed engine oil temperature is below the predetermined engine oil temperature value; and actuating the flow valve so as to prevent the flow of temperature control fluid to the exhaust manifold heating assembly when the sensed temperature of the temperature control fluid is above the predetermined temperature control fluid temperature value.

Claim 20

A method for heating a flow of temperature control fluid, the temperature control fluid being operative for heating and cooling an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine including an engine block, a cylinder head, an oil pan, an exhaust manifold, and a flow valve for controlling the flow of temperature control fluid, the method comprising the steps of: sensing a temperature of a temperature of temperature control fluid; sensing a temperature of an engine oil; comparing the sensed engine off temperature to a predetermined engine oil temperature value; comparing the sensed temperature control fluid temperature to a predetermined temperature control fluid temperature value; actuating the flow valve so as to allow temperature control fluid to flow to an exhaust manifold heating assembly mounted on the exhaust manifold when the sensed engine oil temperature is below the predetermined engine oil temperature value; and actuating the flow valve so as to prevent the flow of temperature control fluid to the exhaust manifold heating assembly when the sensed temperature of the temperature control fluid is above the predetermined temperature control fluid temperature value.