Systems and method for vehicle thermal management
A system and method for thermal management for a work vehicle having an engine and a non-engine heat-generating component is disclosed. A fuel tank configured to store fuel in a liquid or gaseous state and fuel flow lines are configured to deliver the fuel from the fuel tank to the engine for combustion of the fuel and to utilize all or a portion of the fuel for cooling to cool one or more components of the engine or a cooling body of the non-engine heat-generating component or both. A thermal expansion valve is coupled to the fuel flow lines intermediate the fuel tank and the engine and is configured to deliver all or the portion of the fuel utilized for cooling through an orifice such that the fuel undergoes a pressure reduction, including changing from a liquid state to a gaseous state if the fuel is in a liquid state when stored in the fuel tank, and inducing a heat of vaporization to absorb thermal energy in the one or more components of the engine or the cooling body of the non-engine heat-generating component. All or the portion of the fuel utilized for cooling is delivered to the engine for combustion after passing through the one or more components of the engine or the cooling body of the non-engine heat-generating component.
1 . A thermal management system for a work vehicle having an engine and a non-engine heat-generating component, the thermal management system comprising:
a fuel tank configured to store fuel in a liquid or gaseous state;
fuel lines configured to deliver the fuel from the fuel tank to the engine and the heat-generating component;
a throttle valve coupled to the fuel lines intermediate the fuel tank and the engine and configured to selectively deliver the fuel to the engine for combustion and to the non-engine heat-generating component for cooling; and
a thermal expansion valve coupled to the fuel lines intermediate the throttle valve and the engine and the non-engine heat-generating component, the thermal expansion valve having an orifice configured to effect a pressure reduction in the fuel including, when the fuel is in a liquid state, converting the fuel to a gaseous state;
wherein the throttle valve is selectively controlled to deliver the fuel from the fuel tank to the non-engine heat-generating component such that the pressure reduction of the fuel caused by the thermal expansion valve absorbs thermal energy for cooling the non-engine heat-generating component after which the fuel utilized for cooling is delivered to the engine for combustion.
2 . The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the throttle valve directs some of the fuel directly to the engine for combustion and some of the fuel to the non-engine heat-generating component for cooling.
3 . The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel lines, the throttle valve, and the thermal expansion valve are further configured to selectively deliver the fuel from the fuel tank to cool a heat-generating component of the engine after which the fuel is delivered to the engine for combustion.
4 . The thermal management system of claim 3 , wherein the heat-generating component of the engine is an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, a piston-cylinder arrangement, and a fuel injector.
5 . The thermal management system of claim 3 , further including a controller having a processing and memory architecture and configured to execute instructions to determine a cooling requirement of the non-engine heat-generating component or the heat-generating component of the engine and operate the throttle valve and the thermal expansion valve in accordance with the cooling requirement.
6 . The thermal management of claim 1 , further including an air intake arrangement to deliver ambient air to the engine, wherein the fuel absorbs thermal energy from the ambient air delivered to the engine and the air intake arrangement is free of both an intercooler and a charged air cooler.
7 . The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the non-engine heat-generating component a hydraulic component, an electrical component, a radiator, a transmission, an exhaust gas recirculation system, or a charge air cooler.
8 . The thermal management system of claim 1 , further including a heater disposed between the orifice and an engine fuel intake of the engine to heat the fuel.
9 . The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel is a liquid petroleum gas, ethanol, methanol, methane, ammonia, natural gas, hydrogen, or a mixture thereof.
10 . A method of cooling an engine and a non-engine heat-generating component of a work vehicle comprising:
operating a throttle valve coupled to fuel lines intermediate a fuel tank and the engine to selectively deliver the fuel to the engine for combustion and to the non-engine heat-generating component for cooling;
operating a thermal expansion valve coupled to the fuel lines intermediate the throttle valve and the engine and the non-engine heat-generating component to effect a pressure reduction to absorb thermal energy for cooling the non-engine heat-generating component; and
delivering the fuel utilized for cooling to the engine for combustion.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of operating the throttle valve includes directing some of the fuel directly to the engine for combustion and some of the fuel to the non-engine heat-generating component for cooling.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the steps of operating the throttle valve and the thermal expansion valve include selectively delivering the fuel from the fuel tank to cool a heat-generating component of the engine after which the fuel is delivered to the engine for combustion.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the heat-generating component of the engine is an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold, a piston-cylinder arrangement, and a fuel injector.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the steps of operating the throttle valve and the thermal expansion valve include determining, by a controller having a processing and memory architecture, a cooling requirement of the non-engine heat-generating component or the heat-generating component of the engine and operating the throttle valve and the thermal expansion valve in accordance with the cooling requirement.
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the steps of operating the throttle valve and the thermal expansion valve include operating the throttle valve and the thermal expansion valve to cool ambient air drawn through an air intake arrangement coupled to the engine such that the ambient air is delivered to the engine without being cooled by an intercooler or a charged air cooler.
16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the non-engine heat-generating component a hydraulic component, an electrical component, a radiator, a transmission, an exhaust gas recirculation system, or a charge air cooler.
17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the fuel is a liquid petroleum gas, ethanol, methanol, methane, ammonia, natural gas, hydrogen, or a mixture thereof.
18 . A control system for thermal management of a work vehicle having an engine and a non-engine heat-generating component, the control system comprising:
fuel lines configured to deliver the fuel from the fuel tank to the engine and the heat-generating component, the fuel tank configured to store the fuel in a liquid or gaseous state;
a controller having a processing and memory architecture and configured to execute instructions to:
operate a throttle valve coupled to the fuel lines intermediate the fuel tank and the engine to selectively deliver the fuel to the engine for combustion and to the non-engine heat-generating component for cooling;
operate a thermal expansion valve coupled to the fuel lines intermediate the throttle valve and the engine and the non-engine heat-generating component to effect a pressure reduction to absorb thermal energy for cooling the non-engine heat-generating component; and
deliver the fuel utilized for cooling to the engine for combustion.
19 . The control system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the throttle valve to direct some of the fuel directly to the engine for combustion and some of the fuel to the non-engine heat-generating component for cooling.
20 . The control system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to operate the throttle valve and the thermal expansion valve to selectively deliver the fuel from the fuel tank to cool a heat-generating component of the engine after which the fuel is delivered to the engine for combustion.