Locomotive cooling system

• US 6,230,668 B1
• Filed: 05/22/2000
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Aggarwal, Mahesh Chand, Islam, Abul Kalam Mohammad Shariful, Walter, Brian Lane, Marsh, Gregory Alan, Valentine, Peter Loring
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG M
• Application Number:
  US09/576,626
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 606/43, 606/68, 606/51, 123/41.01, 123/41.44, 123/41.51
• US Class Current: 123/41.44
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/182 with multiple heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/025 using two or more air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/105 Using two or more pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/125 Driving auxiliary pumps electrically
• 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 29/0412 Multiple heat exchangers arranged in parallel or in series
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0443 Layout of the coolant or refrigerant circuit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A cooling system (10) for a turbocharged locomotive engine (12) including a two stage intercooler (20) for conditioning the combustion air (16). A first coolant loop (32) includes a first stage intercooler (38), the engine coolant passages (22), a radiator (34), a first tank (36), an oil cooler (30), and a first pump (40). A second coolant loop (42) includes a second stage intercooler (44) a subcooler (48), a second tank (46), and a second pump (50). A fluid connection is provided between the first coolant loop (32) and the second coolant loop (42) to provide heat there between during conditions of overcooling of the second coolant loop (42). Flow control valves forming a portion of first coolant loop (32) may be embodied in a single rotor-sleeve flow control valve (130).

Claims

1. A locomotive engine having coolant passages formed therethrough and having a turbocharger for providing combustion air through an intercooler having coolant passages formed therethrough, the engine further having a cooling apparatus comprising:

a first coolant loop comprising a radiator having an inlet connected to an outlet of the engine coolant passages, a first tank having an inlet connected to an outlet of the radiator and an outlet connected to an inlet of the engine coolant passages, a first stage of the intercooler having an inlet connected to the outlet of the first tank and an outlet connected to the inlet of the radiator, and a first pump operable to circulate coolant throughout the first coolant loop;

a second coolant loop comprising a sub-cooler having an inlet connected to an outlet of a second stage of the intercooler, a second tank having an inlet connected to an outlet of the sub-cooler and having an outlet connected to an inlet of the second stage intercooler, and a second pump operable to circulate coolant throughout the second coolant loop; and

a fluid connection between the first coolant loop and the second coolant loop.

2. The locomotive engine of claim 1, the engine having an engine oil cooler having coolant passages formed therethrough, wherein an inlet of the engine oil cooler is connected to the outlet of the radiator, and wherein the fluid connection between the first coolant loop and the second coolant loop further comprises:

a port connected between the first tank and the second tank; and

a means for selectively directing coolant flowing from an outlet of the engine oil cooler to the first tank and to the second tank.

3. The locomotive engine of claim 2, further comprising a spillway between the first tank and the second tank.

4. The locomotive engine of claim 1, wherein the first pump is powered by the locomotive engine and the second pump is powered by an electric motor.

5. The locomotive engine of claim 2, further comprising:

a radiator bypass valve in fluid communication between the engine coolant passages outlet and the radiator inlet and operable to bypass a selected portion of coolant past the radiator to the first tank;

a fluid connection between the outlet of the engine cooling passages and the inlet of the engine oil cooler; and

an oil cooler inlet control valve operable to selectively direct coolant to the oil cooler inlet from the engine coolant passages outlet and from the radiator outlet.

6. The locomotive engine of claim 5, wherein the radiator bypass valve and the oil cooler inlet control valve comprise a rotor sleeve valve operable to maintain the coolant flow rate through the oil cooler within a predetermined flow rate range as the coolant flow bypassing the radiator is changed from a maximum bypass flow rate to a minimum bypass flow rate.

7. The locomotive engine of claim 2, wherein the means for selectively directing an outlet of the engine oil cooler to the first tank and to the second tank further comprises:

a conduit having an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the oil cooler and a first outlet in fluid communication with the first tank and a second outlet in fluid communication with the second tank;

a valve disposed in the conduit and operable to direct coolant flowing from the oil cooler outlet selectively to the first tank and to the second tank.

8. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of combustion air entering a locomotive engine from a turbocharger, the apparatus comprising:

a first stage intercooler disposed in a flow of combustion air between a turbocharger and an engine inlet air manifold;

a radiator disposed within a flow of ambient air;

a first coolant loop interconnecting the first stage intercooler and the radiator and having a first pump for the circulation of coolant therethrough;

a second stage intercooler disposed in the flow of combustion air downstream of the first stage intercooler;

a subcooler disposed in the flow of ambient air upstream of the radiator;

a second coolant loop interconnecting the second stage intercooler and the subcooler and having a second pump for the circulation of coolant therethrough.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a first tank in fluid communication with the first coolant loop downstream of the radiator and upstream of the first stage intercooler;

a second tank in fluid communication with the second coolant loop downstream of the subcooler and upstream of the second stage intercooler;

a fluid interconnection between the first tank and the second tank.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a means for selectively directing heated coolant from the first coolant loop to the first tank and to the second tank.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an engine oil cooler in fluid communication with the first coolant loop and having an outlet for heated coolant;

a means for selectively directing the heated coolant to the first tank and to the second tank.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising engine cooling passages having an inlet connected to the first tank outlet and an outlet connected to the radiator inlet;

wherein the first coolant loop further comprises a radiator bypass valve for selectively bypassing a portion of the coolant around the radiator to the first tank; and

an oil cooler inlet control valve in fluid communication with an inlet of the engine oil cooler and operable to selectively direct coolant to the oil cooler inlet from the engine coolant passages outlet and from the radiator outlet.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the radiator bypass valve and the oil cooler inlet control valve comprise a rotor sleeve valve operable to maintain the coolant flow rate through the oil cooler within a predetermined flow rate range as the coolant flow bypassing the radiator is changed from a maximum bypass flow rate to a minimum bypass flow rate.

14. A method for cooling an engine and cooling combustion air being supplied to the engine by a turbo-charger, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first cooling loop comprising cooling passages formed in the engine, a first intercooler disposed in a flow of the combustion air, a radiator disposed in a flow of ambient air and having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the engine cooling passages and an outlet of the first intercooler, and a first pump for circulating coolant therethrough; and

providing a second cooling loop comprising a second stage intercooler disposed in the flow of combustion air downstream of the first stage intercooler, a subcooler disposed in the flow of ambient air upstream of the radiator and having its inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the second stage intercooler, and a second pump for circulating coolant therethrough.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of is providing a fluid flow path between the first cooling loop and the second cooling loop.

16. The method of claim 14, operating in a Mode 1 further comprising the steps of:

operating both the first pump and the second pump to establish coolant flow in both the first cooling loop and the second cooling loop;

bypassing a selected portion of the coolant flow around the radiator as a function of engine temperature; and

transferring a selected portion of heated coolant from the first cooling loop to the second cooling loop to maintain the temperature of the combustion air within a predetermined range.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

providing an engine oil cooler in the first cooling loop;

wherein the step of transferring a selected portion of heated coolant from the first cooling loop to the second cooling loop comprises transferring a selected portion of heated coolant flowing from an outlet of the engine oil cooler to the second cooling loop.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of maintaining the rate of flow of coolant through the engine oil cooler within a predetermined range as the rate of flow of coolant bypassing the radiator is varied.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of providing a fan for moving the ambient air across the radiator;

increasing the speed of the fan from a first speed to a second faster speed in response to the engine temperature exceeding a predetermined value;

operating the fan at the second speed for a predetermined time interval; and

transferring a selected portion of heated coolant from the first cooling loop to the second cooling loop while the fan is operating at the second speed in order to maintain the temperature of the combustion air exiting the second stage intercooler above in a predetermined value.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of providing a fan for moving the ambient air across the radiator;

increasing the speed of the fan from a first speed to a second faster speed in response to the engine temperature exceeding a predetermined value;

operating the fan at the second speed for a predetermined time interval; and

bypassing a selected portion of coolant around the radiator while the fan is operating at the second speed in order to maintain the engine temperature above a predetermined value.