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Automotive vehicle engine bay ventilation by ducted-fan-operated ejector

  • US 5,495,909 A
  • Filed: 03/01/1993
  • Issued: 03/05/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1991
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In an automotive vehicle which has an engine bay containing an engine for powering the vehicle, heat exchange structure which bridges a portion of said engine bay and provides cooling for said engine, a ducted fan system disposed on the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure and comprising a ducted fan structure that encloses the engine bay side of said heat exchange structure for drawing air through said heat exchange structure and a conduit structure that conveys the effluent from the ducted fan structure to a location outside the engine bay, the improvement which comprises said ducted fan structure comprising a scroll having an outlet via which the drawn air is delivered to said conduit structure, said improvement further comprising ejector means which is associated with said ducted fan outlet and said conduit structure such that effluent from said ducted fan outlet that passes to said conduit structure is caused to pass through said ejector means, said ejector means comprising means effective under certain conditions of operation to cause the flow of effluent therethrough to create a relatively lower pressure zone within said ejector means wherein the pressure is less than that of a relatively higher pressure zone that lies within a region that is exterior to the engine and that consists of that portion of said engine bay surrounding the engine and a location exteriorly adjacent said engine bay which is exposed to heat from said engine bay, said ejector means comprising means providing a tee connection to said relatively lower pressure zone, and ventilating conduit means connected to said tee connection communicating said relatively higher pressure zone that lies within said region to said relatively lower pressure zone within said ejector means such that the pressure differential existing between said relatively higher pressure zone and said relatively lower pressure zone is effective to induce a ventilating flow from said relatively higher pressure zone through said ventilating conduit means to said ejector means for entrainment with effluent passing through said ejector means and ensuing discharge to a location outside said engine bay.

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