Patent ID: 7454896

Claim:
A thermal management system for a vehicle including an engine, the system comprising: an exhaust gas cooler configured to receive exhaust gas from the engine and to cool the exhaust gas as it passes through the exhaust gas cooler; a first valve downstream from the exhaust gas cooler operable to control the amount of exhaust gas passing through the exhaust gas cooler; an air intake system for receiving intake air for the engine, the intake system including a compressor operable to compress the intake air, the intake system being disposed to facilitate mixing of the intake air and the exhaust gas after the intake air is compressed and the exhaust gas has passed through the exhaust gas cooler, thereby forming a mixed gas; a mixed gas cooler downstream from the first valve and the compressor for cooling the mixed gas as it passes through the mixed gas cooler; a first pump operable to pump a first coolant through the mixed gas cooler, thereby facilitating heat transfer from the mixed gas to the first coolant; a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the mixed gas cooler for transferring heat from the first coolant to ambient air; a radiator in fluid communication with the engine and the exhaust gas cooler; a second pump operable to pump a second coolant through the radiator, the engine, and the exhaust gas cooler, thereby facilitating heat transfer from the engine and the exhaust gas to the second coolant, and from the second coolant to the ambient air via the radiator; a first fan operable to move the ambient air across the first heat exchanger; a first sensor for sensing a temperature of the mixed gas after it passes through the mixed gas cooler, and for outputting a signal related to the sensed temperature of the mixed gas; a control system operatively connected to the sensors, the first fan and the first pump, and including at least one controller, the control system being configured to operate the first fan and the first pump to maintain the sensed temperature of the mixed gas within a first temperature range; and a second valve disposed between an outlet of the mixed gas cooler and an inlet of the exhaust gas cooler, the second valve being in communication with the control system and operable to direct at least some of the first coolant to the inlet of the exhaust gas cooler, and at least some of the first coolant to an inlet of the first heat exchanger.