Cooling system for a work machine

• US 6,321,830 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Steinmann, Jeff A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ciric, Ljiljana V.
• Application Number:
  US09/461,913
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 165/51, 165/120, 165/121, 165/122, 165/124, 165/125, 165/126, 165/144, 165/145, 165/148, 165/41, 123/41.01, 123/41.17, 123/41.28, 123/41.29, 123/41.44, 123/41.48, 123/41.49, 123/41.52, 123/41.56, 123/41.58, 123/41.6, 123/41.63, 123/41.65, 123/41.79
• US Class Current: 165/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/08 Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor radiator or grille guards B60R19/52
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/41 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/12 Filtering, cooling, or silencing cooling-air
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2001/005 Cooling engine rooms
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/185 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/024 with an air driving element
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/04 with tubular conduits F28D1/0246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 19/00 Preventing the formation of deposits or corrosion, e.g. by using filters or scrapers

Abstract

An apparatus and method for cooling a work machine is disclosed. The apparatus has a fan element located inside an engine compartment of the work machine in a horizontal orientation. The fan element draws external air from above the work machine into the engine compartment. A deflector directs the air through a plurality of cooling cores which are radially spaced about the engine compartment and interspersed with a plurality of core spaces. The apparatus can be cleaned by spraying fluid from the outside through the plurality of cooling cores, causing any trapped debris to fall to the bottom of the engine compartment, where it can be removed through a cleanout.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing air to a plurality of cooling cores of a work machine having an engine compartment, the apparatus comprising:

a central axis positioned in a vertical direction through and located inside the engine compartment;

each of the plurality of cooling cores having a central core portion, a top end portion, a bottom end portion, and a core axis extending between the top end portion and the bottom end portion, and being positioned about a circumference of the engine compartment of the work machine with the core axis parallel to and at a predefined distance from the central axis;

a plurality of core spaces being positioned about a circumference of the engine compartment and providing separation between each of the plurality of core elements;

an inlet header tank and an outlet header tank connected to the plurality of cooling cores;

a fan element having a fan axis and being positioned inside the engine compartment adjacent to the top end portions of the plurality of cooling cores; and

a deflector having a deflector axis, the deflector axis being collinear with the fan axis, and being positioned inside the engine compartment near the bottom end portions of the plurality of cooling cores.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the fan element is chosen from the group consisting of a bladed fan, a propeller fan, a turbine fan, a centrifugal fan, and an axial fan.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the fan axis and the deflector axis each are collinear with the central axis.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the inlet header tank and the outlet header tank each have an arcuate configuration.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plurality of cooling cores are each located radially from the central axis along a chord associated with a diameter centered about the central axis.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a cleanout is positioned near the bottom end portions of the plurality of cooling cores.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of core spaces is wholly or partially filled by a baffle.

8. An engine compartment of a work machine adapted for landfill operation and including an the apparatus comprising:

the engine compartment having a central axis positioned in a vertical direction through and located inside the engine compartment;

each of the plurality of cooling cores having a central core portion, a top end portion, a bottom end portion, and a core axis extending between the top end portion and the bottom end portion, and being positioned about a circumference of the engine compartment of the work machine with the core axis parallel to and at a predefined distance from the central axis;

a plurality of core spaces being positioned about a circumference of the engine compartment and providing separation between each of the plurality of cooling cores;

an inlet header tank and an outlet header tank connected to the plurality of cooling cores;

a fan element having a fan axis and being positioned inside the engine compartment adjacent to the top end portions of the plurality of cooling cores; and

a deflector having a deflector axis, the deflector axis being collinear with the fan axis, and being positioned inside the engine compartment near the bottom end portions of the plurality of cooling cores.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the fan element is chosen from the group consisting of a bladed fan, a propeller fan, a turbine fan, a centrifugal fan, and an axial fan.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the fan axis and the deflector axis each are collinear with the central axis.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the inlet header tank and the outlet header tank each have an arcuate configuration.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein a cleanout is positioned near the bottom end portions of the plurality of cooling cores.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of core spaces is wholly or partially filled by a baffle.