Circuit for cooling charge air, and method for operating such a circuit

• US 20060225417A1
• Filed: 04/29/2004
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Inventors: Pantow, Eberhard, Rogg, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 7,669,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/599
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2007/146 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2025/04 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/02 Intercooler
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/12 Pump-driving arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/165 characterised by systems with two or more loops
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0443 Layout of the coolant or refrigerant circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

The invention relates to a circuit (NK) for cooling charge air (LL) in a motor vehicle comprising a turbocharger that is provided with a circulating pump (5) for the circuit (NK). Said pump (5) is coupled to a turbine (2) and forms a turbine/pump combination (1) along with the turbine (2).

Claims

1. A circuit for cooling charge air (LL) in a motor vehicle with a turbocharger, with a pump circulating the circuit (NK), wherein the pump is coupled to a turbine, and in that the pump, together with the turbine, forms a turbine/pump combination.

2. The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the turbine is integrated into a second circuit designed to be at least temporarily separated.

3. The circuit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second circuit is a main coolant circuit (HK).

4. The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump and the turbine have a common shaft.

5. The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pump rotor and/or the turbine rotor and/or the pump casing and/or the turbine casing is a plastic injection molding.

6. The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein a regulating valve for controlling the coolant quantity flowing through the turbine is arranged in the circuit of the turbine.

7. The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit in which the driving turbine is arranged and the circuit in which the pump driven by the turbine is arranged can be connected to one another.

8. The circuit as claimed in claim 7, wherein a four-way bypass valve or a mixing valve is provided, which allows a change between two separate circuits and a common circuit.

9. The circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the four-way bypass valve has a bypass.

10. The circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the four-way bypass valve is designed to be integrated in the turbine/pump combination.

11. The circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two circuits (HK and NK) are connected to one another via a nonreturn valve (RV).

12. A method for cooling charge air by means of a circuit which is circulated by a pump, wherein the pump is driven directly or indirectly by a turbine, the pump and the turbine forming a turbine/pump combination (1).

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the turbine is driven by a second circuit.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the regulation of the turbine/pump combination takes place by means of a regulating valve which is arranged in the circuit of the turbine.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the regulating valve is controlled as a function of the coolant temperature (TK) and/or of the charge-air pressure (p_LL) and/or via a signal from a control apparatus which determines the engine load and from this determines the coolant requirement in the low-temperature circuit.