Exhaust gas heat recovery system and transmission warmer implementation strategy for a vehicle

1. A vehicle comprising:

an internal combustion engine having a fluid outlet and a fluid inlet in fluid communication with each other and configured for circulating a flow of an engine coolant from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet; and

a coolant circuit interconnecting the fluid outlet and the fluid inlet in fluid communication and circulating the flow of the engine coolant therethrough from the fluid outlet to the fluid inlet, the coolant circuit including:

a pump disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the fluid outlet, and configured for circulating the engine coolant through the coolant circuit;

an Exhaust Gas Heat Recovery (EGHR) system disposed downstream from the pump and from the fluid outlet, and configured for transferring heat from a flow of exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to the engine coolant;

a control valve disposed downstream from and in fluid communication with the EGHR system;

a first fluid flow path in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of the control valve;

a second fluid flow path in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of the control valve;

wherein the pump circulates the engine coolant through the entire coolant circuit, including both the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path of the coolant circuit;

a transmission fluid warming system disposed along the second fluid flow path;

wherein the control valve directs the flow of the engine coolant along the first fluid flow path when a temperature of the engine coolant is below a pre-defined temperature, and directs the flow of the engine coolant along the second fluid flow path when the temperature of the engine coolant is equal to or greater than the pre-defined temperature;

an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path, and in fluid communication with and disposed upstream of the fluid inlet of the internal combustion engine;

wherein the EGR system is operable to transfer heat from the flow of the engine coolant circulating through the coolant circuit to the internal combustion engine; and

wherein the EGR system is configured to receive the flow of the engine coolant from the control valve through the first fluid flow path when the control valve directs the flow of the engine coolant through the first fluid flow path, and wherein the EGR system is configured to receive the flow of the engine coolant from the transmission fluid warming system when the control valve directs the flow of the engine coolant through the second fluid flow path.

2. A vehicle as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a heater core disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the internal combustion engine, and disposed upstream from the EGHR system.

3. A vehicle as set forth in claim 2 wherein the pump is disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the heater core, and is disposed upstream of and in fluid communication with the EGHR system.

4. A vehicle as set forth in claim 3 further comprising a temperature sensor configured for sensing a temperature of the engine coolant exiting the internal combustion engine at the fluid outlet.

5. A vehicle as set forth in claim 3 wherein the engine coolant flows through the coolant circuit in a continuous loop from the fluid outlet to the heater core, from the heater core to the pump, from the pump to the EGHR system, from the EGHR system to the control valve, from the control valve to the EGR system via one of the first fluid flow path or the second fluid flow path, from the EGR system to the fluid inlet, and from the fluid inlet back to the fluid outlet.

6. A coolant circuit for a vehicle, the coolant circuit comprising:

an internal combustion engine having a fluid outlet and a fluid inlet in fluid communication with each other and configured for circulating a flow of an engine coolant from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet;

a heater core disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the internal combustion engine;

an Exhaust Gas Heat Recovery (EGHR) system disposed downstream from the heater core and configured for transferring heat from a flow of exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to the engine coolant;

a pump disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the heater core and disposed upstream of the EGHR system;

a control valve disposed downstream from and in fluid communication with the EGHR system;

a first fluid flow path in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of the control valve;

a second fluid flow path in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of the control valve;

a transmission fluid warming system disposed along the second fluid flow path; and

an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of both the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path, and in fluid communication with and disposed upstream of the fluid inlet of the internal combustion engine;

wherein the EGR system is operable to transfer heat from the flow of the engine coolant circulating through the coolant circuit to the internal combustion engine;

wherein the control valve directs the flow of the engine coolant along the first fluid flow path when a temperature of the engine coolant is below a pre-defined temperature, and directs the flow of the engine coolant along the second fluid flow path when the temperature of the engine coolant is equal to or greater than the pre-defined temperature; and

wherein the pump is operable to circulate the engine coolant through the entire coolant circuit, including both the first fluid flow path and the second fluid flow path of the coolant circuit.