Locomotive engine cooling system

• US 6,006,731 A
• Filed: 11/18/1997
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Uzkan, Teoman
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah P.
• Application Number:
  US08/972,189
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 60/599, 123/563, 123/41.29, 123/41.31
• US Class Current: 123/563
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2007/146 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2023/08 Microprocessor; Microcomputer
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/02 Intercooler
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/04 Lubricant cooler
• 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: F02B 29/0493 Controlling the air charge temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A locomotive engine cooling system has a pair of radiator banks having substantially the same cooling capacity. The system has separate engine and aftercooler coolant loops and assigns one of the radiator banks exclusively to each of the loops, with the maximum cooling capacity being less than that required to absorb an engine heat load in a predetermined, warmed-up mode of operation but greater than that required to absorb an aftercooler heat load in the same predetermined, warmed-up mode of operation. To balance the system, a linking conduit directs a portion of the hot coolant exiting the engine to a conduit leading directly to the aftercooler radiator to supplement the maximum cooling capacity of the engine radiator with a predetermined portion of the maximum cooling capacity of the aftercooler radiator in absorbing the engine heat load. A return flow conduit from the aftercooler radiator to the engine may be a common coolant tank, a separate conduit or both. A valved conduit in parallel with the linking conduit selectively provides additional coolant flow from the engine to the aftercooler radiator to absorb additional heat from the engine for engine temperature limiting at higher loads and/or ambient temperatures. The arrangement simplifies connections to the radiators for reduced cost, improves cooling system efficiency, reduces thermal stresses in the radiators, and permits linking valve operation in a preferred closed condition in normal, warmed-up operation.

Claims

1. A locomotive diesel engine having coolant passages therethrough and a turbocharger with an aftercooler having coolant passages therethrough, the engine generating an engine heat load in a predetermined, warmed-up mode of operation, the aftercooler generating an aftercooler heat load in the predetermined, warmed up mode of operation, the engine heat load being substantially greater than the aftercooler heat load, the engine further having cooling apparatus comprising:

an engine coolant loop comprising an engine pump, an engine radiator and an engine coolant conduit connecting the engine pump, the coolant passages of the engine and the engine radiator for unidirectional circulation of a liquid coolant, the engine radiator having a maximum cooling capacity less than that required to absorb the engine heat load;

an aftercooler coolant loop comprising an aftercooler pump, an aftercooler radiator and an aftercooler coolant conduit connecting the aftercooler pump, the coolant passages of the aftercooler and the aftercooler radiator for unidirectional circulation of the liquid, the aftercooler radiator having substantially the same maximum cooling capacity as the engine radiator, the maximum cooling capacity being greater than that required to absorb the aftercooler heat load;

a first linking conduit from the engine coolant loop between the engine and the engine radiator to the aftercooler coolant loop, between the aftercooler and the aftercooler radiator, the first linking conduit providing direct coolant flow from the engine to the aftercooler radiator at all times to supplement the maximum cooling capacity of the engine radiator with a predetermined portion of the maximum cooling capacity of the aftercooler radiator in absorbing the engine heat load;

a second linking conduit from the aftercooler coolant loop between the aftercooler radiator and the aftercooler pump to the engine coolant loop between the engine radiator and the engine pump for providing return coolant flow from the aftercooler radiator to the engine; and

a third linking conduit in parallel with the first linking conduit and comprising a valve openable in response to a temperature signal to selectively provide additional direct coolant flow from the engine to the aftercooler radiator to absorb additional heat from the engine for engine temperature limiting.

2. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 in which the second linking conduit comprises a common coolant tank communicating with the inlets of both the main pump and the aftercooler pump.

3. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 further having a common coolant tank communicating with the inlets of both the main pump and the aftercooler pump in addition to a separate conduit from the aftercooler coolant loop between the aftercooler radiator and the aftercooler pump to the engine coolant loop between the engine radiator and the engine pump, wherein the common coolant tank and the separate conduit together provide return coolant flow from the aftercooler radiator to the engine.

4. The internal combustion engine of claim 1 further having a common coolant tank communicating directly with the inlet of only one of the aftercooler pump and the engine pump.

5. The internal combustion engine of claim 4 in which the common coolant tank communicates directly with the inlet of only the aftercooler pump.