Engine and cooling system arrangement for a harvester

• US 20080257531A1
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Blue Leaf IP Incorporated (CNH Industrial N.V.)
• Inventors: Vergote, Geert, D'hondt, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,997,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/104.34
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 41/1252 Anti-dust devices
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 45/10 of sugar cane for digging sugar cane A01D31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 5/02 Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/08 Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor radiator or grille guards B60R19/52
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/222 Harvesters
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/12 Filtering, cooling, or silencing cooling-air
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/06 Guiding or ducting air to, or from, ducted fans
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0408 Multi-circuit heat exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat exchangers for more than two fluids F28F9/0234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28G 9/00 Cleaning by flushing or washing, e.g. with chemical solvents appliances using jets of fluid for removing debris F28G1/16, F28G3/16

Abstract

The engine and cooling system arrangement includes an engine supported between the forward and rear ends of the frame of a harvesting machine, in an engine compartment. A cooler box containing at least one heat exchanger is disposed higher than and vertically offset from, the engine, and has an inlet opening facing sidewardly and covered with an air screen. A discharge opening faces in an opposite side direction. A fan generates a sideward air flow through the filter screen, cooler box and at least one heat exchanger, and outwardly through the discharge opening, away from an operator cab of the machine. A portion of the air flow will be directed into an air flow duct extending downwardly and forwardly to the engine compartment to create a positive air pressure condition therein, to limit infiltration of unfiltered air. The air is discharged from the engine compartment away from the cab. An engine exhaust duct and one or more fluid lines from the engine can extend through the air flow duct, for contamination protection and enhanced cooling. The engine air intake can also be routed through the cooling system for reducing contamination.

Claims

1. An engine and cooling system apparatus for a self-propelled harvesting machine, comprising:

a frame having a forward end, a rear end opposite the forward end, and first and second sides extending between the forward end and the rear end;

an engine supported on the frame at a first elevation intermediate the forward end and the rear end, the engine being contained in an engine compartment;

a cooler box supported on the frame at a second elevation higher than the first elevation an in vertically offset relation to the engine compartment, the cooler box having an inlet opening adjacent to the first side of the frame, a discharge opening adjacent to the second side of the frame, and an interior, defining an air flow path into the cooler box through the inlet opening, through the interior, and from the cooler through the discharge opening, and at least one heat exchanger disposed in the air flow path for flow of the air flow therethrough;

a fan configured and disposed for generating an air flow along the air flow path through the cooler box so as to flow through the at least one heat exchanger and outwardly from the cooler box through the discharge opening; and

an air flow duct having an inlet disposed adjacent to a peripheral portion of the discharge opening of the cooler box and only partially in the air flow path, for receiving a portion of the air flow through the discharge opening, the air flow duct extending downwardly to the engine compartment, such that the limited portion of the air flow will flow through the duct into the engine compartment so as to create a positive air pressure condition therein.

2. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one heat exchanger comprises at least one engine radiator and an intercooler radiator positioned such that portions of the air flow will flow through the radiators separately and simultaneously, and wherein the peripheral portion of the discharge opening comprises about a quadrant of the periphery of the discharge opening.

3. Apparatus of claim 2, wherein the engine radiator and the intercooler radiator are arranged in a stack with the engine radiator above the intercooler radiator, and the quadrant of the periphery of the discharge opening is located adjacent to an edge of the intercooler radiator.

4. Apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fan is located in a fan box disposed downstream of the cooler box in the air flow path, the fan box having a periphery extending around and defining an inlet opening and an outlet opening for the flow of the air flow through the fan box, and wherein the inlet of the air flow duct is disposed in a corner of the periphery of the fan box.

5. Apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an exhaust duct in connection with the engine for carrying away exhaust gases generated thereby, and wherein at least a portion of the exhaust duct is disposed in the air flow duct.

6. Apparatus of claim 5, further comprising at least one fluid line extending between the engine compartment and the cooler box, through the air flow duct.

7. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fan is rotatable by a belt drive extending through the air flow duct between the engine and the fan.

8. Apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a rotary air screen, and wherein the belt drive is configured for rotatably driving the rotary air screen and the fan simultaneously.

9. Apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a frame for a sugarcane harvester.

10. A self-propelled harvesting machine, comprising:

a frame having a forward end, a rear end opposite the forward end, and sides extending between the forward and rear ends;

an engine supported on the frame intermediate the forward end and the rear end, the engine being contained in an engine compartment;

a cooler box supported on the frame at an elevation higher than the engine and in vertically offset relation thereto, the cooler box having an inlet opening facing in a first sideward direction, a discharge opening facing in a second sideward direction opposite the first sideward direction, and an interior extending between the inlet and discharge openings;

at least one heat exchanger disposed in the interior of the cooler box;

a fan configured and disposed for generating an air flow in the second sideward direction through the cooler box such that at least a portion of the air flow will pass through the at least one heat exchanger and the discharge opening; and

an air flow duct having an inlet disposed adjacent to a portion of a periphery of the discharge opening of the fan box for receiving a limited portion of the air flow generated by the fan, the duct extending downwardly to the engine compartment, such that the limited portion of the air flow will flow through the air flow duct into the engine compartment so as to create a positive air pressure condition therein, and wherein at least a portion of an exhaust duct of the engine extends through the air flow duct.

11. The harvesting machine of claim 10, wherein the at least one heat exchanger comprises at least one engine radiator and an intercooler radiator, arranged such that portions of the air flow will flow therethrough simultaneously and separately, and wherein the portion of the periphery of the discharge opening comprises about a quadrant thereof disposed adjacent to the intercooler radiator.

12. The harvesting machine of claim 11, wherein the at least one heat exchanger further comprises a hydraulic oil cooler, and wherein the heat exchangers are arranged in a stack with the radiator in a top position, the hydraulic cooler in a middle position, and the intercooler radiator in a lower position.

13. The harvesting machine of claim 10, wherein the fan is located in a fan box and the exhaust duct extends upwardly from the air flow duct and passes through the fan box.

14. The harvesting machine of claim 10, further comprising at least one fluid line extending between the engine compartment and the cooler box through the air flow duct.

15. The harvesting machine of claim 10, wherein the fan is rotatable by a belt drive extending through the air flow duct between the engine and the fan.

16. The harvesting machine of claim 15, wherein the air screen comprises a rotary air screen, and the belt drive is connected in rotatably driving relation thereto.

17. The harvesting machine of claim 10, comprising a sugar cane harvester.

18. An engine and cooling system arrangement for a self-propelled harvesting machine, comprising:

an engine supported on a frame of the machine at a first elevation intermediate a forward end and a rear end thereof, the engine being contained in an engine compartment;

a heat exchanger housing supported on the frame rearwardly of the engine at a second elevation higher than the first elevation, the heat exchanger housing having an inlet opening facing in a first sideward direction and including a filter screen in covering relation thereto, a discharge opening facing in a second sideward direction opposite the first sideward direction, the heat exchanger housing containing at least one heat exchanger;

a fan configured and operable for generating an air flow into the heat exchanger housing through the filter screen, sidewardly through the at least one heat exchanger, and outwardly from the heat exchanger housing through the discharge opening; and

an air flow duct having an inlet disposed adjacent to a peripheral edge of the discharge opening of the heat exchanger housing in a position and orientation for receiving a portion of the air flow, the duct extending downwardly and forwardly to the engine compartment, such that the portion of the air flow will flow through the duct and enter the engine compartment so as to create a positive air pressure condition therein, and an exhaust duct of the engine and at least one fluid line extending upwardly through the air flow duct to the fan box.

19. The engine and cooling system arrangement of claim 18, wherein the at least one heat exchanger comprises an engine radiator and an intercooler radiator, and wherein the inlet of the air flow duct is positioned adjacent to a peripheral edge of the intercooler radiator, spaced from the engine radiator.

22. The engine and cooling system arrangement of claim 18, wherein the exhaust duct extending through the air flow duct includes a muffler located in the air flow duct.

23. The engine and cooling system arrangement of claim 18, wherein the at least one fluid line comprises an engine coolant line.

21. The engine and cooling system arrangement of claim 20, wherein the at least one heat exchanger further comprises a hydraulic oil cooler disposed between the engine radiator and the intercooler radiator.