Combined aftercooler system with shared fans

• US 7,040,303 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cryer, Edward J. III, Uzkan, Teoman
• Primary Examiner(s): Richter, Sheldon J
• Application Number:
  US10/922,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20060037590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 605/99, 123/563
• US Class Current: 123/563
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/029 Expansion reservoirs
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2005/105 Using two or more pumps
• 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 29/0431 Details or means to guide the ambient air to the heat exchanger, e.g. having a fan, flaps, a bypass or a special location in the engine compartment
• 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 including an intake air cooling subsystem and a liquid cooling subsystem for controlling intake air temperatures in a supercharged internal combustion diesel locomotive engine. The intake air cooling subsystem includes an air-to-water aftercooler and an air-to-air aftercooler having intake air sides connected to receive intake air flow in series between a supercharger and an engine. The liquid cooling subsystem includes at least one liquid cooling loop having a pump, a radiator and a water coolant side of the air-to-water aftercooler. At least one shared fan circulates air flow to the cooling air sides of the air-to-air aftercooler and the radiator. An optional air distribution control selectively directs circulated air flow between the air-to-air aftercooler, the radiator and other optional components of the cooling system.

Claims

1. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine having a supercharger for increasing the density of intake air supplied to the engine, the cooling system comprising:

a liquid cooling subsystem including at least one liquid cooling loop having a pump communicating with a radiator and the engine for unidirectional circulation of liquid coolant;

an intake air cooling subsystem including an air-to-water aftercooler having an intake air side receiving intake air from the supercharger and a water side receiving liquid coolant from the liquid cooling subsystem, and an air-to-air aftercooler having an intake air side receiving intake air from the air-to-water aftercooler;

a shared fan circulating air flow through cooling air sides of the air-to-air aftercooler and the radiator;

an air distribution control operative to control the amount of circulated air flow directed from the shared fan to the cooling air sides of the radiator and the air-to-air aftercooler;

the air-to-water aftercooler being operative to exchange heat between the intake air and liquid coolant; and

the air-to-air aftercooler being operative to exchange heat between the intake air and circulated air.

2. An intake air cooling system as in claim 1 wherein the cooling air sides of the radiator and the air-to-air aftercooler are positioned in series to receive circulated air flow from the shared fan.

3. An intake air cooling system as in claim 1 wherein the cooling air sides of the radiator and the air-to-air aftercooler are positioned in parallel to receive circulated air flow from the shared fan.

4. An intake air cooling system as in claim 1 including an oil cooler connected to the cooling loop to receive unidirectional liquid coolant flow and operative to transfer lubrication oil heat to liquid coolant.

5. An intake air cooling system as in claim 1 including a liquid coolant reservoir operative to contain reserve liquid coolant and connected to the cooling loop to provide reserve coolant to the liquid cooling loop.

6. An intake air cooling system as in claim 1 including a dynamic braking grid positioned in parallel with the cooling air sides of the air-to-air aftercooler and the radiator to receive circulated air flow from the shared fan.

7. An intake air cooling system as in claim 6 wherein the air distribution control is operative to control the amount of circulated air flow directed from the shared fan to cooling air sides of the radiator, the dynamic brake grid and the air-to-air aftercooler.

8. An intake air cooling system for internal combustion engine having a supercharger for increasing the density of intake air supplied to the engine, the cooling system comprising:

a liquid cooling subsystem including at least one liquid cooling loop having an aftercooler pump communicating with a radiator for unidirectional circulation of liquid coolant;

an intake air subsystem including an air-to-water aftercooler having an intake air side receiving intake air from the supercharger and a water side receiving liquid coolant from the liquid cooling subsystem, and an air-to-air aftercooler having an intake air side receiving intake air from the air-to-water aftercooler; and

a shared fan circulating air flow through cooling air sides of the air-to-air aftercooler and the radiator;

an air distribution control operative to control the amount of circulated air flow directed from the shared fan to the cooling air sides of the air-to-air aftercooler and the radiator;

the air-to-water aftercooler being operative to exchange heat between the intake air and liquid coolant;

the air-to-air aftercooler being operative to exchange heat between the intake air and circulated air.

9. An intake air cooling system as in claim 8 including a radiator bypass passage regulated by a thermostat operative to selectively bypass liquid coolant flow to the radiator to maintain an optimal liquid coolant temperature.

10. An intake air cooling system as in claim 8 wherein the cooling air sides of the air-to-air aftercooler and the radiator are positioned in series to receive circulated air flow from the shared fan.

11. An intake air cooling system as in claim 8 wherein the cooling air sides of the air-to-air aftercooler and the radiator are positioned in parallel to receive circulated air flow from the shared fan.

12. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine having a supercharger for increasing the density of intake air supplied to the engine, the cooling system comprising:

a liquid cooling subsystem including at least one liquid cooling loop having a pump communicating with a radiator and the engine for unidirectional circulation of liquid coolant;

an intake air cooling subsystem including an air-to-water aftercooler having an intake air side receiving intake air from the supercharger and a water side receiving liquid coolant from the liquid cooling subsystem, and an air-to-air aftercooler having an intake air side receiving intake air from the air-to-water aftercooler;

a shared fan circulating air flow through cooling air sides of the air-to-air aftercooler and the radiator;

a dynamic brake grid positioned in parallel with the cooling air sides of the air-to air aftercooler and the radiator to receive circulated air flow from the shared fan;

the air-to-water aftercooler being operative to exchange heat between the intake air and liquid coolant; and

the air-to-air aftercooler being operative to exchange heat between the intake air and circulated air.

13. An intake air cooling system as in claim 12 including an air distribution control operative to control the amount of circulated air flow direct from the shared fan to cooling air sides of the radiator, the dynamic brake grid and the air-to-air aftercooler.

14. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine having a supercharger for increasing the density of intake air supplied to the engine, the cooling system comprising:

a liquid cooling subsystem including a first liquid cooling loop comprising a main pump communicating with a main radiator and the engine for unidirectional circulation of liquid coolant, and a second liquid cooling loop comprising an afterccoler pump communicating with an aftercooler radiator for unidirectional circulation of liquid coolant;

a valve apparatus linking the first and second cooling loops and operative to control liquid coolant flow between the cooling loops;

an intake air cooling subsystem including an air-to-water aftercooler having an intake air side receiving intake air from the supercharger and a water side receiving liquid coolant from the second cooling loop, and an air-to-air aftercooler having an intake air side receiving intake air from the air-to-water aftercooler;

a shared fan circulating air flow through cooling air sides of the air-to-air radiator, the aftercooler radiator, and the main radiator;

an air distribution control operative to control the amount of circulated air flow directed from the shared fan to the cooling air sides of the air-to-air radiator, the aftercooler radiator, and the main radiator;

the air-to-water aftercooler being operative to exchange heat between the intake air and liquid coolant; and

the air-to-air aftercooler being operative to exchange heat between the intake air and circulated air.

15. A cooling system for an internal combustion engine having a supercharger for increasing the density of intake air supplied to the engine, the cooling system comprising:

a liquid cooling subsystem including a first liquid cooling loop having a pump communicating with the engine and a main radiator and the engine for unidirectional circulation of liquid coolant, and a second liquid cooling loop including the pump, the engine, the main radiator, a supplemental low temperature radiator and a water cooling side of an air-to water aftercooler for unidirectional circulation of liquid coolant;

an intake air cooling subsystem including an air-to-water aftercooler having an intake air side receiving intake air from the supercharger, and an air-to-air aftercooler having an intake air side receiving intake air from the air-to-water aftercooler;

a shared fan circulating air flow through cooling air sides of the air-to-air radiator, the aftercooler radiator, and the main radiator;

an air distribution control operative to control the amount of circulated air flow directed from the shared fan to the cooling air sides of the air-to-air radiator, the aftercooler radiator, and the main radiator;

the air-to-water aftercooler being operative to exchange heat between the intake air and liquid coolant; and

the air-to-air aftercooler being operative to exchange heat between the intake air and circulated air.