US 12,442,324 B1
Systems and methods for supplementing an ammonia heat-exchange unit for engine cooling with a radiator
James L. Wall, II, Concord, NC (US); and David Gwynn Kapp, Jr., Concord, NC (US)
Assigned to First Ammonia Motors, Inc., Concord, NC (US)
Filed by First Ammonia Motors, Inc., Concord, NC (US)
Filed on May 29, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/222,161.
Application 19/222,161 is a continuation of application No. 18/904,051, filed on Oct. 1, 2024, granted, now 12,358,787.
Application 18/904,051 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/660,466, filed on May 10, 2024, granted, now 12,162,754, issued on Dec. 10, 2024.
Application 18/660,466 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/241,328, filed on Sep. 1, 2023, granted, now 11,981,562, issued on May 14, 2024.
Int. Cl. F01N 3/22 (2006.01); F01N 3/04 (2006.01)
CPC F01N 3/225 (2013.01) [F01N 3/04 (2013.01); F01N 2610/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for heat-exchange between ammonia and engine coolant for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
an electronic control unit (ECU);
an ammonia tank containing ammonia;
a heat-exchange unit fluidly coupled to the ammonia tank and to the internal combustion engine, the heat-exchange unit receiving ammonia from the ammonia tank;
a radiator fluidly coupled to the heat-exchange unit and to the internal combustion engine, the radiator receiving hot engine coolant from the internal combustion engine, and the radiator supplying the hot engine coolant to the heat-exchange unit;
a bypass valve coupled between the heat-exchange unit, the radiator, and the internal combustion engine; and
a temperature sensor coupled to the ECU to detect a temperature of the internal combustion engine,
wherein heat is transferred from the hot engine coolant to the ammonia within the heat-exchange unit, resulting in heated ammonia and cooled engine coolant,
wherein the ECU closes the bypass valve when the temperature of the internal combustion engine is above a threshold value, allowing the cooled engine coolant to exit the heat-exchange unit and flow to the radiator, and
wherein the ECU opens the bypass valve when the temperature the of internal combustion engine is below the threshold value, allowing the cooled engine coolant to exit the heat-exchange unit and flow to the internal combustion engine.