EGR cooler purging apparatus and method

1. An apparatus for an internal combustion engine comprising:

a base engine having an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold;

a turbine having a turbine inlet in fluid communication with the exhaust manifold, and a turbine outlet;

a first exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler having a cooler outlet fluidly communicating with the intake manifold and a cooler inlet fluidly communicating with the exhaust manifold and with the turbine inlet;

an EGR valve in fluid communication with the EGR cooler; and

a purge valve disposed in fluid communication between the EGR cooler outlet and the turbine outlet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the EGR valve and the purge valve are integrated into a single valve.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the single valve includes a gate member having a first opening and a second opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first opening and the second opening has at least one of a rectangular, trapezoidal, triangular, semi-circular, and tear-drop, shape.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic engine controller.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a purge valve actuator, wherein the purge valve actuator is actuated by at least one of electrical, pneumatic, and mechanical power.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the EGR valve and the purge valve are contained in a three-way valve.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the base engine includes a plurality of cylinders in fluid communication with the intake manifold and the exhaust manifold.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a compressor connected to the turbine and in fluid communication with the intake manifold.

10. A method comprising the steps of:

monitoring operation of an engine;

determining whether to purge an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler; and

when purging an EGR cooler, opening a purge valve to fluidly connect an inlet of the EGR cooler with an exhaust system upstream of a turbine, and fluidly connecting an outlet of the EGR cooler direct to an outlet of the turbine.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of opening an EGR valve to fluidly connect the exhaust system with an intake system.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of closing an EGR valve before opening the purge valve.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of checking whether purging engine conditions are present.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of closing the purge valve when engine purging engine conditions are not present.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of collecting exhaust gas in an internal volume of the purge valve.

16. A method for an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:

opening a purge valve disposed at an outlet of an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler to fluidly connect the outlet of the EGR cooler with an outlet of a turbine, wherein an inlet of the EGR cooler is in direct fluid communication with an inlet of the turbine;

closing an EGR valve disposed in fluid communication with the outlet of the EGR cooler and an intake system of the engine.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the opening and closing steps are performed when the engine is in a start-up mode.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the opening and closing steps are performed when the engine is in a service mode of operation.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the opening and closing steps are performed when the engine is in a diagnostic mode of operation.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the opening and closing steps are performed when the engine is in a non-fueling mode of operation.