Oil pan and engine assembly including the oil pan

Abstract

An engine assembly can heat or cool oil and includes an oil pan. The oil pan includes an oil pan body, and the oil pan body includes an inner pan surface and an outer pan surface opposite the inner pan surface. The inner pan surface defines a cavity configured to collect oil. The oil pan further includes a pan passageway extending through the oil pan body. The pan passageway is disposed between the inner pan surface and the outer pan surface. In addition, the pan passageway is configured to carry a heat transfer fluid in order to transfer heat between the oil disposed in the cavity of the oil pan and the heat transfer fluid.

1 . An engine assembly, comprising:
 an oil pan including an oil pan body, wherein the oil pan body includes:
 an inner pan surface defining a cavity configured to collect oil; 
 an outer pan surface opposite the inner pan surface; and 
 a pan passageway formed by the oil pan body, wherein the pan passageway is disposed between the inner pan surface and the outer pan surface; and 
   wherein the pan passageway is configured to carry a heat transfer fluid in order to transfer heat between the oil disposed in the cavity and the heat transfer fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The engine assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid source including the heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The engine assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a fluid transfer pump in fluid communication with the fluid source such that the fluid transfer pump is configured to move the heat transfer fluid from the fluid source to the pan passageway. 
     
     
         4 . The engine assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the engine assembly is characterized by the absence of an oil cooler. 
     
     
         5 . The engine assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an input passageway in fluid communication with the pan passageway such that the heat transfer fluid is capable of flowing from the input passageway to the pan passageway, wherein the input passageway is outside the oil pan. 
     
     
         6 . The engine assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a heat source in thermal communication with the input passageway such that the heat source is capable of heating the heat transfer fluid flowing through the input passageway. 
     
     
         7 . The engine assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the heat source is an exhaust manifold. 
     
     
         8 . The engine assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the heat source is a turbocharger. 
     
     
         9 . The engine assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the heat source is an exhaust gas recirculation system. 
     
     
         10 . The engine assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the heat source is an engine block. 
     
     
         11 . The engine assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the heat source is an engine head. 
     
     
         12 . The engine assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a cooling system in thermal communication with the input passageway such that cooling system is capable of cooling the heat transfer fluid flowing through the input passageway. 
     
     
         13 . An oil pan, comprising:
 an oil pan body having an inner pan surface and an outer pan surface opposite the inner pan surface, wherein the inner pan surface defines an open cavity configured to collect oil, the oil pan defines a pan passageway disposed between the inner pan surface and the outer pan surface, and the pan passageway is configured to receive a heat transfer fluid.   
     
     
         14 . The oil pan of  claim 13 , wherein the oil pan body includes a plurality of sidewalls, and a bottom wall interconnecting the sidewalls, and the pan passageway extends at least through the bottom wall. 
     
     
         15 . The oil pan of  claim 13 , wherein the pan passageway includes an inlet in fluid communication with a fluid source having the heat transfer fluid such that the heat transfer fluid is capable of flowing from the fluid source to the pan passageway through the inlet. 
     
     
         16 . A method of exchanging heat between a heat transfer fluid and oil disposed in an oil pan, the method comprising:
 introducing the heat transfer fluid into a pan passageway of the oil pan while the oil is in the oil pan, wherein the oil pan includes an oil pan body, the oil pan body defines an inner pan surface and an outer pan surface opposite the inner pan surface, and the inner pan surface defines a cavity holding the oil, and the pan passageway extends through the oil pan body between the inner pan surface and the outer pan surface.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising heating the heat transfer fluid before introducing the heat transfer fluid through the pan passageway. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein heating the heat transfer fluid includes transferring heat from an exhaust manifold to the heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising cooling the heat transfer fluid before introducing the heat transfer fluid through the pan passageway. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the oil pan includes a bottom wall, and the pan passageway extend at least through the bottom wall.