Patent ID: 9649910
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: B60H,F01P

Claim:
1. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, a coolant outlet of the internal combustion engine being connected to a coolant inlet of a fuel operated heater and wherein a coolant outlet of the fuel operated heater is connected to a coolant inlet of an HVAC heater, a coolant outlet of the HVAC heater further being connected to a coolant inlet of the internal combustion engine, the vehicle further comprising a temperature sensor arranged at the coolant outlet of the internal combustion engine and a temperature sensor arranged at the coolant outlet of the fuel operated heater, wherein the vehicle further comprises a three way valve arranged between the coolant outlet of the HVAC heater and the coolant inlet of the internal combustion engine such that there is a connection between the coolant outlet of the HVAC heater and the coolant inlet of the fuel operated heater, the connection thus bypassing the internal combustion engine, wherein the three way valve is configured to, at electrical driving (EV or HEV) modes of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and upon at least one of the temperature sensor arranged at the coolant outlet of the internal combustion engine or the temperature sensor arranged at the coolant outlet of the fuel operated heater sensing a temperature less than or equal to a certain threshold temperature, close to direct coolant flow to bypass the internal combustion engine through the connection and thereafter, upon a certain operation time or upon the temperature sensor arranged at the coolant outlet of the fuel operated heater sensing a temperature less than a second certain threshold temperature, partially open to allow partial coolant volume flow through the valve to the internal combustion engine while at least some coolant flow through the connection remains.