A rapid warm-up heat exchanger for heating a fluid using exhaust gas includes multiple plate pairs that are joined by braze joints to form a stack. A fluid inlet manifold and a fluid manifold extend through the stack, and each one of the plate pairs defines a tortuous flow path for the fluid that extends between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet manifolds. A housing surrounds the stack, and together the housing and the stack define an exhaust flow path in spaces provided between adjacent plate pairs. A valve element can be provided within the housing in order to selectively direct exhaust flow through the exhaust flow path.

An object is to provide a variable-geometry exhaust turbocharger including a variable nozzle mechanism in which nozzle supports may not deform under a high-temperature condition. A variable-geometry exhaust turbocharger (1) includes: a nozzle mount (2); a nozzle support (6) having a first end coupled to a first face (2a) of the nozzle mount; a nozzle plate (4) coupled to the second end of the nozzle support and supported to be separated from the first face (2aa) of the nozzle mount, the nozzle plate having a first face (4a) coupled to the nozzle support and a second face (4b) which is opposite to the first face and which faces an exhaust gas channel (20) through which exhaust gas flows: a plurality of nozzle vanes (8) rotatably supported between the nozzle mount and the nozzle plate; and a variable nozzle mechanism (10) configured to change vane angles of the nozzle vanes to control a flow of the exhaust gas flowing between the nozzle mount and the nozzle plate. The nozzle plate is formed of a material having a smaller linear expansion coefficient than that of a material forming the nozzle mount.

An object is to provide a variable-geometry exhaust turbocharger including a variable nozzle mechanism in which nozzle supports may not deform under a high-temperature condition. A variable-geometry exhaust turbocharger (1) includes: a nozzle mount (2); a nozzle support (6) having a first end coupled to a first face (2a) of the nozzle mount; a nozzle plate (4) coupled to the second end of the nozzle support and supported to be separated from the first face (2aa) of the nozzle mount, the nozzle plate having a first face (4a) coupled to the nozzle support and a second face (4b) which is opposite to the first face and which faces an exhaust gas channel (20) through which exhaust gas flows: a plurality of nozzle vanes (8) rotatably supported between the nozzle mount and the nozzle plate; and a variable nozzle mechanism (10) configured to change vane angles of the nozzle vanes to control a flow of the exhaust gas flowing between the nozzle mount and the nozzle plate. The nozzle plate is formed of a material having a smaller linear expansion coefficient than that of a material forming the nozzle mount.

In an exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine which is provided with an NOx catalyst arranged in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine, the present invention has for its problem to be solved to suppress an increase in exhaust emissions, which results from processing for raising the temperature of the NOx catalyst, to a small level. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine of the invention is constructed such that when an amount of increase in the NO.sub.X removal rate becomes smaller with respect to an amount of rise in the temperature of the NOx catalyst, the execution of temperature raising processing is deferred, and processing to make small the flow rate of exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine and processing to make small the amount of smoke discharged from the internal combustion engine are executed.

In an exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine which is provided with an NOx catalyst arranged in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine, the present invention has for its problem to be solved to suppress an increase in exhaust emissions, which results from processing for raising the temperature of the NOx catalyst, to a small level. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine of the invention is constructed such that when an amount of increase in the NO.sub.X removal rate becomes smaller with respect to an amount of rise in the temperature of the NOx catalyst, the execution of temperature raising processing is deferred, and processing to make small the flow rate of exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine and processing to make small the amount of smoke discharged from the internal combustion engine are executed.

A cooling system for a vehicle may include a cooling water temperature sensor, a cooling circulation fluid passage including first, second and third fluid passages, wherein the cooling water exhausted from the engine may be branched into the first fluid passage provided with a heater core, the second fluid passage provided with a radiator, and the third fluid passage provided with an exhaust heat recovery apparatus, a fluid flow adjusting valve provided on a point at which the cooling water passing through the cooling water temperature sensor may be branched into the first fluid passage to the third fluid passage to adjust a flow of the cooling water, and a controlling part controlling the first fluid passage to the third fluid passage to be selectively opened or closed by operating the fluid flow adjusting valve depending on the temperature of the cooling water, in a heating mode and a non-heating mode.

A cooling system for a vehicle may include a cooling water temperature sensor, a cooling circulation fluid passage including first, second and third fluid passages, wherein the cooling water exhausted from the engine may be branched into the first fluid passage provided with a heater core, the second fluid passage provided with a radiator, and the third fluid passage provided with an exhaust heat recovery apparatus, a fluid flow adjusting valve provided on a point at which the cooling water passing through the cooling water temperature sensor may be branched into the first fluid passage to the third fluid passage to adjust a flow of the cooling water, and a controlling part controlling the first fluid passage to the third fluid passage to be selectively opened or closed by operating the fluid flow adjusting valve depending on the temperature of the cooling water, in a heating mode and a non-heating mode.

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting a grille shutter opening based on an estimated amount of fuel in oil dilution. In one example, a method may include adjusting a grille shutter opening to a closed position in response to an oil dilution amount above a threshold, the position determined based on the oil dilution amount in addition to each of engine coolant temperature and acceleration/deceleration.

Presented herein is an energy conversion module containing an internal combustion engine, air compressor, fuel delivery system, waste energy collection system and emission control system. Energy input is controlled via a feedback loop containing an air compressor, carburetor and post-combustion oxygen sensor. Emissions are controlled via the use of a high-efficiency catalytic converter and exhaust gas recirculation system via a feedback from post-catalytic oxygen sensors. Waste heat energy is also collected from both the combustion and catalytic processes via a series of heat exchangers and a high-heat capacity medium.

In a fluid energy machine, such as an exhaust gas turbocharger of an internal combustion engine of an automobile, with a casing accommodating a rotor wheel that is rotatable about a first axis of rotation extending in the axial direction of the casing, an inlet flow passage which extends generally in a flow direction at an angle relative to the axial and the radial directions to the housing, the flow passage is formed by spaced insertion elements with spherical sections that have a common center of curvature disposed on the first axis of rotation and guide vanes are supported between the spaced spherical wall sections of the insertion elements so as to be rotatable about a second axis of rotation which extends through the common center of curvature, and have opposite axial end walls also curved spherically with a center of curvature coinciding with the center of curvature of the insertion elements thereby to be pivotable between the two spaced spherical wall sections of the insertion elements with minimal clearance.