Engine air intake manifold having built-in intercooler

• US 6,116,026 A
• Filed: 12/18/1998
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation (Daimler Truck Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation (Daimler Truck Holding AG)
• Inventors: Freese, Charles E. V
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah P.
• Application Number:
  US09/215,360
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 123/568.12, 123/568.18, 123/563, 60/599, 60/605.2
• US Class Current: 60/605.2
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0462 Liquid cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0475 the intake air cooler being combined with another device, e.g. heater, valve, compressor, filter or EGR cooler, or being assembled on a special engine location
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/22 with cylinders in V, fan, or star arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/05 High pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust system upstream of the turbine and reintroduced into the intake system downstream of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/10 having means to increase the pressure difference between the exhaust and intake system, e.g. venturis, variable geometry turbines, check valves using pressure pulsations or throttles in the air intake or exhaust system
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/19 Means for improving the mixing of air and recirculated exhaust gases, e.g. venturis or multiple openings to the intake system
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/28 with liquid-cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10157 Supercharged engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10222 Exhaust gas recirculation [EGR]; Positive crankcase ventilation [PCV]; Additional air admission, lubricant or fuel vapour admission
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10268 Heating, cooling or thermal insulating means air coolers F02B29/04; thermal treatment of combustion-air, fuel or fuel-air mixture F02M31/00; details of the throttle valve housing F02D9/1035
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/116 for engines with cylinders in V-arrangement or arranged oppositely relative to the main shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A turbocharged V type engine can be equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation cooler integrated into the intake manifold, so as to achieve efficiency, cost reductions and space economization improvements. The cooler can take the form of a tube-shell heat exchanger that utilizes a cylindrical chamber in the air intake manifold as the heat exchanger housing. The intake manifold depends into the central space formed by the two banks of cylinders on the V type engine, such that the central space is effectively utilized for containing the manifold and cooler.

Claims

1. A turbocharged V configuration internal combustion engine having first and second banks of cylinders arranged so that the cylinder axes in the respective banks intersect at an acute angle, further comprising a turbocharger that includes a turbine driven by the exhaust eases from said cylinders and a compressor driven by said turbine, an exhaust manifold for delivering exhaust gases from said cylinders to said turbine, and a gas recirculation passage comprised of an exhaust gas recirculation valve located in said intake manifold for bypassing some of the exhaust manifold gas away from the turbine into said intercooler.

2. The engine of claim 1, wherein said intercooler comprises a heat exchanger having a tube bundle extending parallel to said cylinder axes intersection point.

3. The engine of claim 1, wherein said intercooler comprises parallel heat exchange tubes arranged so that each tube is parallel to said cylinder axes intersection point.

4. The engine of claim 1, wherein said exhaust gas recirculation valve comprises a valve cartridge partially embedded within said intake manifold.

5. The engine of claim 1, and further comprising an air inlet means on said intake manifold communicating with said turbine;

and a gas admission passage means, connecting said intercooler to said air inlet means whereby recirculation gas is assimilated into the air stream flowing through said air inlet means.

6. The engine of claim 5, wherein said air inlet means comprises a venturi constructed to draw recirculation gas into the flowing air stream.

7. The engine of claim 6, wherein said venturi comprises a venturi cartridge partially embedded within said intake manifold.

8. The engine of claim 1, and further comprising a cylinder head overlying each bank of cylinders;

said cylinder heads having upper flat surfaces located in a common plane;

said intake manifold having flat lower mounting faces mated to the upper flat surfaces on said cylinder heads.

9. The engine of claim 8, and further comprising a set of valve-actuation rocker arms located above each cylinder head;

said intake manifold having said extensions that form covers for said rocker arms.

10. The engine of claim 8, wherein each cylinder head has a set of air intake passages extending from its upper flat surface to the associated cylinders;

said lower mounting faces on said air intake manifold having air admission openings aligned with said air intake passages.

11. The engine of claim 1, further including a thermostat housing integrated into the manifold.

12. The engine of claim 1, wherein heat from the intercooler is used to assist engine warm up for improved emission control.

13. The engine of claim 12, wherein engine is mounted into a vehicle having a cabin, and the heat from the intercooler is used to supplement vehicle cabin heating.