AIR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR HEAVY DUTY TRUCK UNDER-HOOD HEAT CONTROL

• US 20080099261A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enviro-Cool, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Enviro-Cool, Inc.
• Inventors: Sturmon, George R., Murray, Edward M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,537,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/08 Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor radiator or grille guards B60R19/52
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/142 Heavy duty trucks
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 1/06 Arrangements for cooling other engine or machine parts
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/10 Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2001/005 Cooling engine rooms

Abstract

A system for removing heat from the engine compartment (9) of a heavy duty truck. A first ventilating system removes heat from the radiator. It is isolated from a second ventilating system that removes heat from the engine compartment. The first system takes heat from the radiator through a plenum by centrifugal squirrel cage blowers, and is directs it out to ambient by ductwork. The second system draws ambient air generally from back to front of the engine compartment, preferably by cowl induction, without the use of ram air from the vicinity of the radiator. The exits of the two systems are into a slip stream of the heavy duty truck, and the exit of the second ventilating system is into a slip stream of the first, to scavenge air out of the engine compartment.

Claims

1. A heavy duty truck comprising an operator cab;

an engine compartment;

an engine in the engine compartment;

a radiator in front of the engine, the radiator receiving coolant from the engine;

a first ventilating system behind the radiator, the first ventilating system comprising ducting having an exhaust exit to ambient and at least one electric fan adapted to draw air through the radiator, through the ducting, and out the exhaust exit of the first ventilating system, the first ventilating system being constructed to prevent air drawn through the radiator from entering the engine compartment; and

a second ventilating system constructed to remove heat from the engine compartment, the second ventilating system being constructed to draw ambient air into a rear part of the engine compartment and to exhaust air heated by the engine compartment out of an exhaust exit toward a forward part of the engine compartment.

2. The heavy duty truck of claim 1 wherein the second ventilating system further comprises induction structure on at least one of the top or sides of the engine compartment, the induction structure being adapted to draw ambient air into the engine compartment when the truck is moving forward.

3. The heavy duty truck of claim 1 wherein the exhaust exit of the second ventilating system is positioned behind the exhaust exit of the first ventilating system, the system being so constructed and arranged that exhaust air from the first ventilating system draws air out the exit of the second ventilating system.

4. A heavy duty truck comprising a cab, an engine compartment ahead of the cab, an engine in the engine compartment, a radiator in front of the engine, the radiator receiving coolant from the engine, a first ventilating system behind the radiator forming an enclosure behind the radiator, the first ventilating system comprising at least one centrifugal fan and structure constructed to diffuse ram air coming through the radiator ahead of the centrifugal fan, and a second ventilating system comprising an induction system, independent of the fan, constructed to draw air into a rear portion of the engine compartment while the truck is moving forward.

5. The heavy duty truck of claim 4 wherein the truck comprises a windshield forming a part of a front wall of the cab, the truck further comprising an induction cowl cooperative with the windshield.

6. A heavy duty truck comprising a cab, a windshield forming a part of a front wall of the cab, an engine compartment ahead of the cab, an engine in the engine compartment, a radiator in front of the engine, the radiator receiving coolant from the engine, a first ventilating system attached behind the radiator and forming an enclosure behind the radiator, the first ventilating system comprising at least one squirrel cage fan.

7. A heavy duty truck comprising a cab, a windshield forming a part of a front wall of the cab, an engine compartment ahead of the cab, an engine in the engine compartment, a radiator in front of the engine, the radiator receiving coolant from the engine, a first ventilating system behind the radiator, and an induction system, independent of the first ventilating system, constructed to draw air into a rear part of the engine compartment while the truck is moving forward, the windshield forming a part of the induction system.

8. A heavy duty truck comprising a cab, an engine compartment, an engine in the engine compartment, a radiator in front of the engine, the radiator receiving coolant from the engine, a first ventilating system forming an enclosure behind the radiator, air blocking structure around the radiator constructed to block substantially all ram air from entering a front portion of the engine compartment, and a second ventilating system constructed to remove heat from the engine compartment, the second ventilating system comprising an air inlet on at least one of the top and sides of the engine compartment, the air inlet being constructed to bring air into a rear portion of the engine compartment.

9. The truck of claim 8 wherein the air inlet comprises induction structure, the induction structure comprising the windshield and an induction cowl cooperative with the windshield.

10. The truck of claim 9 wherein the second ventilating system comprises an air outlet in a side wall of the engine compartment.

11. The truck of claim 10 wherein the air outlet is in a slip stream of an outlet of the first ventilating system.

12. The truck of claim 11 wherein the outlet of the first ventilating system comprises a channel extending along the outside of a side wall of the engine compartment.

13. The truck of claim 12 wherein the air outlet of the second ventilating system is into the channel.

14. A vehicle comprising an operator compartment;

an engine compartment;

an engine in the engine compartment;

a radiator in front of the engine, the radiator receiving coolant from the engine;

a first ventilating system behind the radiator, the first ventilation system comprising ducting having an exhaust exit into an ambient slip stream of the vehicle when the vehicle is moving forward and at least one electric fan adapted to draw air through the radiator, through the ducting, and out the exhaust exit of the first ventilation system into the slip stream; and

a second ventilating system constructed to remove heat from the engine compartment, the second ventilating system being constructed to draw ambient air into the engine compartment and to exhaust air heated by the engine compartment out of an exhaust exit behind the exit of the first ventilating system into the slip stream.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the second ventilating system further comprises induction structure on at least one of the top or sides of the engine compartment, the induction structure being adapted to draw air into the engine compartment when the truck is moving forward.

16. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein the exhaust exit of the second ventilating system is so constructed and arranged that exhaust air from the first ventilating system draws air out the exit of the second ventilating system.

17. The vehicle of claims 16 wherein the exhaust exit of at least the first ventilating system comprises a channel extending along the outside of a side wall of the engine compartment.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 wherein the air outlet of the second ventilating system is into the channel.