Cooling system for a combustion engine

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling system for a combustion engine, comprising an inlet for cooling fluid, which is connectable to cooling channels of the combustion engine, and an outlet for cooling fluid, which is also connectable to the cooling channels of the combustion engine, a pump for pumping the cooling fluid through the inlet and outlet, a cooler for cooling the cooling fluid, which is connected to the outlet, on the one hand, and the inlet, on the other hand, and a bypass line, which connects the outlet to the inlet without passing through the cooler, and a valve assembly comprising a valve element and an actuation device for actuating the valve element, characterized in that the valve element is arranged in the outlet and comprises at least three fluid connections, wherein a first fluid connection is connected to a section of the outlet coming from a cooling fluid discharge of the combustion engine, a second fluid connection is connected to a section of the outlet leading to the cooler and a third fluid connection is connected to the bypass line leading to the inlet, and the actuation device comprises an expansion element, which is arranged in the inlet downstream of the connection of the bypass line to the inlet, and with which expansion element the valve element is actuatable such that the first fluid connection is connected to the second and/or third fluid connection.

1 . A cooling system for a combustion engine, comprising
 an inlet for cooling fluid, which is connectable to cooling channels of the combustion engine, and an outlet for cooling fluid, which is also connectable to the cooling channels of the combustion engine,   a pump for pumping the cooling fluid through the inlet and outlet,   a cooler for cooling the cooling fluid, which is connected to the outlet the one hand and the inlet on the other hand, and a bypass line, which connects the outlet to the inlet without passing through the cooler, and   a valve assembly comprising a valve element and an actuation device for actuating the valve element
 characterized in that 
   the valve element is arranged in the outlet and comprises at least three fluid connections, wherein a first fluid connection is connected to a section of the outlet coming from a cooling fluid discharge of the combustion engine a second fluid connection is connected to a section of the outlet leading to the cooler and a third fluid connection is connected to the bypass line leading to the inlet, and   the actuation device comprises an expansion element, which is arranged in the inlet downstream of the connection of the bypass line to the inlet, and with which expansion element the valve element is actuatable such that the first fluid connection is connected to the second and/or third fluid connection.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling system as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the valve element comprises a ball valve, which is rotatably supported in a valve housing, wherein the valve housing comprises the at least three fluid connections, wherein the ball valve comprises at least two openings, and wherein the ball valve is rotatable in the valve housing by the expansion element such that the first fluid connection is connected to the second and/or third fluid connection through the openings of the valve element. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling system as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the valve element comprises a disk valve, which comprises at least one fluid tight disk, whose position is actuatable by the expansion element such that the first fluid connection is connected to the second and/or third fluid connection. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling system as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the expansion element is an expanding wax element. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling system according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the expansion element actuates the valve element via an actuation rod which is in operative connection with a return spring. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling system as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the pump is arranged in the inlet downstream of the connection of the bypass line to the inlet.