Flowing fluid conditioner

• US 20050081834A1
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael T. Perkins
• Original Assignee: Michael T. Perkins
• Inventors: Perkins, Michael T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/563
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0418 the intake air cooler having a bypass or multiple flow paths within the heat exchanger to vary the effective heat transfer surface
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0481 Intake air cooling by means others than heat exchangers, e.g. by rotating drum regenerators, cooling by expansion or by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0493 Controlling the air charge temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/02 for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2205/00 Application of thermometers in motors, e.g. of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A method and system for temperature conditioning of engine intake air by use of controllable intercooler which consists of an active thermoelectric device and a controllable valve system which optimally directs the path of airflow through a plurality of chambers in response to signals from a controller in order to optimally provide temperature conditioned air to the engine. System features temperature storage isolated from heat soaked engine components allowing immediate and efficient conditioning of airflow into an internal combustion engine. Intelligent control of this device removes parasitic power drains during high demand situations.

Claims

1. A controllable system for temperature conditioning of flowing fluids, comprising:

a flow diverter means for selecting from a plurality of pathways for flowing fluid;

a control device which responds to input signal commands by selecting said pathway;

a thermo sensing means for measuring the temperature of an insulated thermal storage core;

a thermoelectric temperature conditioning device which heats or cools in response to a changing current or voltage signal.

2. The controllable system for temperature conditioning of flowing fluids of claim 1, wherein the system is an intercooler for an internal combustion engine.

3. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 2, wherein the input signal'"'"'commands is an engine load determining means for sensing throttle setting or engine load and determining optimum air inlet temperature.

4. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 2, wherein the flow diverter is an engine airflow diverter means for selecting pathway for engine aspiration.

5. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 2, wherein the thermoelectric temperature-conditioning device is a thermoelectric cooler or thermo-tunneling device.

6. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 2, wherein the thermoelectric temperature-conditioning device has a radiator with forced air induction.

11. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, wherein said control device includes means to store computer programs and follow specific algorithms in accordance with stored programs and internal and external sensors. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 6, which has means to respond to command signals based on a plurality of sensor data including for example to engine load or air temperature and then controlling the heating or cooling of the thermoelectric element and the fluid diverter selection of fluid pathway.

7. A controllable intercooler system, the system comprising:

an engine airflow diverter means for selecting pathway for engine aspiration;

a thermo sensing means for measuring the temperature of insulated thermally conductive core;

a current control means for regulating the amount of current driving thermoelectric heater;

a control device which responds to engine load'"'"'signal commands by selecting said pathway.

8. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, wherein the thermoelectric heater has an associated heat exchanger and is contained within a thermally insulated enclosure.

9. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, wherein the thermoelectric heaters thermally insulated enclosure uses advanced composites improving thermal isolation.

10. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, wherein the engine airflow diverter selects between multiple air pathways, which are contained within a single housing.

12. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, where improved insulation around intercooler core enables improved thermal storage preventing heat or cold escapes thereby providing a reservoir of BTUs.

13. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, where improved insulation around intercooler core prevents heat soak and resulting temperature increases in the air provided by the intercooler.

14. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, where separate intakes allow bypassing intercooler core to aid in thermal storage.

15. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, where FFC control system can select (using diverter butterfly valves) between straight input to engine or FFC intercooler exposure thereby providing the ability to cool (or warm) incoming air by accessing reservoir of BTUs by adjusting diverter valves as required by the situation.

16. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, where FFC control system can interoperate with existing system controllers for reduced emissions.

17. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, where FFC control system can interoperate with existing system controllers for improved performance.

18. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, where FFC control system can interoperate with existing system controllers for improved drivability.

19. The controllable intercooler system according to claim 7, where FFC control system can incorporate advanced sensors with existing system controllers for improved drivability.