Twin fan cooling system

• US 6,401,801 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Dicke, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US09/692,509
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 165/41-43, 165/51, 165/122, 165/299, 165/140, 180/68.1, 123/41.12, 123/41.31, 123/41.49, 123/41.64, 123/196.AB
• US Class Current: 165/51
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/12 Filtering, cooling, or silencing cooling-air
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/182 with multiple heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/185 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/187 arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/025 using two or more air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/12 Arrangements for cooling other engine or machine parts
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/02 Pumping cooling-air; Arrangements of cooling-air pumps, e.g. fans or blowers

Abstract

A fan cooling system for cooling heat transfer devices associated with a particular work machine, the system including a plurality of fans positioned and located in the same plane preferably one on top of the other, a first heat transfer device positioned upstream relative to the plurality of fans, a second heat transfer device positioned downstream and adjacent to one side of the fans, a third heat transfer device positioned downstream and adjacent the opposite side of the fans, and suitable shrouds or other separating members positioned around the plurality of fans so as to guide the flow of air into and expelled by each respective fan, the fans being operable to as to create air flow through the first, second and third heat transfer devices. In one embodiment of the present system the first upstream heat transfer device has higher fin or core density as compared to the fin density associated with the second and third heat transfer devices respectively, the first heat transfer device functioning as a filter trapping debris on the outside of the core face. This core density arrangement ensures that whatever passes through the upstream core will also pass through the downstream cores. The present fan/core arrangement results in a very compact and well-balanced construction, which substantially reduces the overall size of the cooling package and improves the overall effective cooling capacity of the system.

Claims

1. A cooling system for cooling heat transfer devices in a work machine comprising:

a pair of radial fans positioned vertically one on top of the other;

a first heat transfer device positioned upstream from said pair of fans;

a second heat transfer device positioned adjacent to and downstream from one side of said pair of fans;

a third heat transfer device positioned adjacent to and downstream from the opposite side of said pair of fans;

at least one downstream shroud positioned around said pair of fans for guiding the flow of air expelled therefrom to said second and third heat transfer devices; and

said fans creating air flow through said first, second and third heat transfer devices.

2. The cooling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one upstream shroud is positioned between said first heat transfer device and said plurality of fans for ducting of the flow of air into said plurality of fans.

3. The cooling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said third heat transfer device includes a pair of heat transfer devices.

4. The cooling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said heat transfer devices has a core density associated respectively therewith, the core density associated with said first heat transfer device being greater than the core density associated with said second and third heat transfer devices.

5. The cooling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one separating member is positioned and located so as to separate the air flow streams generated by each respective fan to prevent internal recirculation thereof.

6. A cooling system for cooling heat transfer devices in a work machine comprising:

a plurality of fans positioned so as to be located in the same plane;

a first heat transfer device positioned upstream from said plurality of fans;

a second heat transfer device positioned adjacent one side of said fans;

a third heat transfer device positioned adjacent the opposite side of said fans; and

said fans creating air flow through said first, second and third heat transfer devices.

7. The cooling system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said plurality of fans includes a pair of fans vertically arranged one on top of another.

8. The cooling system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said plurality of fans includes a pair of fans horizontally arranged in relationship to each other.

9. The cooling system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said pair of fans are radial fans.

10. The cooling system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first heat transfer device is an air to air aftercooling core.

11. The cooling system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said second heat transfer device is a radiator core.

12. The cooling system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said third heat transfer device includes a plurality of heat transfer devices.

13. The cooling system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the plurality of heat transfer devices associated with said third heat transfer device includes a hydraulic oil core and a transmission oil core.

14. The cooling system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said first, second and third heat transfer devices each include a plurality of fins, said first heat transfer device having a higher fin density than said second and third heat transfer devices.

15. The cooling system as set forth in claim 6, wherein at least one downstream shroud is positioned around said plurality of fans for guiding the flow of air expelled by each respective fan to said second and third heat transfer devices.

16. The cooling system as set forth in claim 15, wherein at least one said downstream shroud extends from a front peripheral edge of said fans to an edge of said second and third heat transfer devices, and at least one said downstream shroud extends from a rear peripheral edge of said fans to an edge of said second and third heat transfer devices.

17. The cooling system as set forth in claim 6, wherein at least one upstream shroud is positioned between said first heat transfer device and said plurality of fans for ducting of the flow of air into said plurality of fans.

18. The cooling system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the at least one of said upstream shroud includes at least one access port for cleaning out debris.

19. A method for cooling heat transfer devices in a work machine including the steps of:

positioning a plurality of fans so as to be located in the same plane;

positioning a first heat transfer device upstream from said plurality of fans;

positioning a second heat transfer device adjacent one side of said fans;

positioning a third heat transfer device adjacent the opposite side of said fans; and

creating air flow through said first, second and third heat transfer devices by said fans.

20. The method for cooling heat transfer devices in a work machine as set forth in claim 19, wherein said step of positioning a first heat transfer device upstream from said plurality of fans further includes the step of arranging a pair of fans vertically one on top of another.

21. The method for cooling heat transfer in devices in a work machine as set forth in claim 19, wherein said step of positioning a first heat transfer device upstream from said plurality of fans includes utilizing an air to air aftercooling core.

22. The method for cooling heat transfer devices in a work machine as set forth in claim 19, wherein said step of positioning a plurality of fans so as to be located in the same plane further includes the step of positioning at least one downstream shroud around said plurality of fans for guiding the flow of air expelled by each respective fan to said second and third heat transfer devices.

23. The method for cooling heat transfer devices in a work machine as set forth in claim 19, further including the step of positioning at least one upstream shroud between said first heat transfer device and said plurality of fans for ducting of the flow of air into said plurality of fans.

24. A method for cooling heat transfer devices in a work machine including the steps of:

positioning a pair of radial fans vertically one on top of the other;

positioning a first heat transfer device upstream from said pair of fans;

positioning a second heat transfer device adjacent to and downstream from one side of said pair of fans;

positioning a third heat transfer device adjacent to and downstream from the opposite side of said pair of fans;

positioning at least one downstream shroud around said pair of fans for guiding the flow of air expelled therefrom to said second and third heat transfer devices; and

creating air flow through said first, second and third heat transfer devices by said fans.

25. A method for cooling heat transfer devices in a work machine including the steps of:

positioning a pair of radial fans vertically one on top of the other;

positioning a first heat transfer device upstream from said pair of fans;

positioning a second heat transfer device adjacent to and downstream from one side of said pair of fans;

positioning a third heat transfer device adjacent to and downstream from the opposite side of said pair of fans;

positioning at least one upstream shroud between said first heat transfer device and said pair of fans for ducting of the flow of air into said plurality of fans;

positioning at least one downstream shroud around said pair of fans for guiding the flow of air expelled therefrom to said second and third heat transfer devices; and

creating air flow through said first, second and third heat transfer devices by said fans.