Windrower Tractor with Parallel Heat Exchangers for Cooling of Engine and Associated Fluids

• US 20130319778A1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Macdon Industries Ltd (Linamar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Macdon Industries Ltd (Linamar Corporation)
• Inventors: MacGregor, Don, Garbald, Jann Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,936,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/221 Tractors

Abstract

An agricultural tractor having its engine longitudinally spaced along its frame from the operator cabin features at least two heat exchangers carried on the frame at a position located longitudinally between the operator cabin and the engine to perform air-cooling of at least one fluid associated with the engine. The two heat exchangers are arranged in parallel so as to each accept an intake stream of ambient air that is independent of a discharge stream of exhaust air from the other heat exchanger. Accordingly, each heat exchanger uses the coolest air possible to maximize the cooling potential of the system. The discharge stream of air from the heat exchangers is exhausted rearward to avoid recirculation of this heated air as the machine moves forward, and to direct the exhaust air past the engine for further cooling effect.

Claims

1. An agricultural tractor comprising:

a frame extending in a longitudinal direction the tractor;

a plurality of rotatable ground wheels connected to the frame to convey the frame over the ground, including drive wheels operable to drive the tractor in a forward working direction along the longitudinal direction of the tractor;

an operator cab carried on the frame;

an engine mounted in an engine compartment on the frame at a position longitudinally spaced from the cab in a rearward direction opposite the forward working direction; and

at least two heat exchangers carried on the frame at a position located longitudinally between the operator cab and the engine and operable to perform air-cooling of at least one fluid associated with the engine, each of the two heat exchangers being arranged to accept an intake stream of ambient air that is independent of a discharge stream of exhaust air from the other of the two heat exchangers in the cooling of the least one fluid associated with the engine; and

an exhaust air outlet configuration arranged to direct the discharge stream of air from each of the two heat exchangers in an exhaust direction having no forward component in the longitudinal direction.

2. The tractor of claim 1 wherein the exhaust air outlet configuration is arranged to the direct the discharge stream of air from each of the two heat exchangers in the rearward direction.

3. The tractor of claim 2 wherein the exhaust air outlet configuration is arranged to direct the discharge stream of air from each of the two heat exchangers past the engine.

4. The tractor of claim 1 wherein the heat exchangers are arranged to have the intake stream of ambient air pass therethrough in a transverse direction.

5. The tractor of claim 1 wherein ambient air inlets through which the intake streams of ambient air enter the two heat exchanges are spaced apart from one another.

6. The tractor of claim 5 wherein the ambient air inlets are situated on opposite sides of a longitudinal center-line of the frame.

7. The tractor of claim 5 wherein openings of the ambient air inlets face laterally outward to accept ambient air from respective sources on opposing sides of the tractor.

8. The tractor of claim 5 wherein openings of the ambient air inlets face upward to accept ambient air from above the tractor.

9. The tractor of claim 1 wherein the two heat exchangers are arranged for air to flow through the heat exchangers into a central space therebetween.

10. The tractor of claim 9 comprising a housing enclosing the central space between the heat exchangers and a fan mounted to the housing to convey air through the heat exchangers into the housing, and then longitudinally rearward through the exhaust air outlet configuration.

11. The tractor of claim 9 comprising a respective fan for each of the two heat exchangers and air flow guides disposed in the space between the two heat exchangers, the fans being operable to convey air through the heat exchangers into the space therebetween, where the air flow guides then redirect the air longitudionally rearward.

12. The tractor of claim 1 comprising at least one fan operable to convey air through the heat exchangers.

13. The tractor of claim 10 wherein each fan is a variable speed fan.

14. The tractor of claim 13 comprising a fan controller operable to change an operating speed of the fan according to one or more conditions monitored by said controller.

15. The tractor of claim 14 wherein the one or more conditions monitored by said controller includes ambient air temperature.

16. The tractor of claim 14 wherein the one or more conditions monitored by said controller includes at least one engine load condition.

17. The tractor of claim 10 wherein each fan is a reversible fan operable in a heat exchange mode rotating in a first direction to convey ambient air inward through the heat exchangers from a surrounding environment, and a clean out mode rotating in an opposite direction to convey air outward through the heat exchangers into the surrounding environment to dislodge contaminants clogging intake areas of the heat exchangers.

18. The tractor of claim 10 wherein each fan is hydraulically powered.

19. The tractor of claim 1 comprising self cleaning screens mounted in flow paths of the intake air streams.

20. An agricultural tractor comprising:

a frame extending in a longitudinal direction the tractor;

a plurality of rotatable ground wheels connected to the frame to convey the frame over the ground, including drive wheels operable to drive the tractor in a forward working direction along the longitudinal direction of the tractor;

an operator cab carried on the frame;

an engine mounted in an engine compartment on the frame at a position longitudinally spaced from the cab in a rearward direction opposite the forward working direction; and

at least two heat exchangers carried on the frame at a position located longitudinally between the operator cab and the engine and operable to perform air-cooling of at least one fluid associated with the engine, the two heat exchangers being arranged to receive respective ones of parallel streams of ambient inlet air for use in the cooling of the least one fluid associated with the engine; and

an exhaust air outlet configuration arranged to direct a discharge stream of air from each of the two heat exchangers in an exhaust direction having no forward component in the longitudinal direction.