Patent ID: 7735461

Claim:
An engine cooling system for a liquid cooled internal combustion engine; said engine cooling system comprising: (a) an engine adapted for transferring waste heat into said liquid coolant; (b) a radiator adapted for transferring said waste heat from said liquid coolant to ambient air; (c) a water pump arranged to circulate said coolant between said engine and said radiator; (d) an auxiliary line with an auxiliary valve for selectively flowing said liquid coolant therethrough; and (e) phase change material (PCM) in thermal communication with said liquid coolant in said auxiliary line for transiently absorbing said waste heat from said liquid coolant; wherein: said cooling system is arranged to maintain the temperature of said liquid coolant near a predetermined normal operating temperature T 0 ; and said PCM has a melting temperature T melt which is higher than said predetermined normal operating temperature T 0 .