Fluid cooled supercharger
First Claim
1. An air induction system for delivering compressed induction fluid to an engine, wherein the engine is cooled by a closed-loop engine coolant system, the air induction system comprising:
- a centrifugal supercharger configured to be mechanically driven by the engine,said supercharger including a case that presents a compressor chamber,said case including a wall that defines a volute section of the compressor chamber,said supercharger including a rotatable impeller within the compressor chamber and operable to compress induction fluid when powered by the engine,said case presenting a compressor coolant passageway that is defined at least partly by the wall,said compressor passageway extending along at least part of the volute section of the compressor chamber; and
a recirculating induction coolant system fluidly connected to the compressor passageway and operable to recirculate coolant through the compressor passageway,said case including a plurality of ridges projecting from the wall into said at least part of the volute section and thereby being configured to improve the transfer of heat from the compressed induction fluid to the coolant,said volute section presenting a generally circular cross-sectional shape to present an outer circumference,said ridges being spaced about the outer circumference of the volute section,said ridges each having a helical shape to facilitate flow of compressed induction fluid along the volute section.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A forced air induction system for use with a powered vehicle is disclosed as including a centrifugal supercharger supported by the vehicle'"'"'s engine and a recirculating induction coolant system that cools the supercharger and the compressed induction fluid provided by the supercharger. The induction coolant system operates by providing coolant to the supercharger and to an intercooler of the forced air induction system. The supercharger case includes internal passageways for cooling the transmission and compressor. The forced air induction system further includes spacers and radiant heat shields for rejecting heat transferred conductively and radiantly from the engine.
140 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An air induction system for delivering compressed induction fluid to an engine, wherein the engine is cooled by a closed-loop engine coolant system, the air induction system comprising:
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a centrifugal supercharger configured to be mechanically driven by the engine, said supercharger including a case that presents a compressor chamber, said case including a wall that defines a volute section of the compressor chamber, said supercharger including a rotatable impeller within the compressor chamber and operable to compress induction fluid when powered by the engine, said case presenting a compressor coolant passageway that is defined at least partly by the wall, said compressor passageway extending along at least part of the volute section of the compressor chamber; and a recirculating induction coolant system fluidly connected to the compressor passageway and operable to recirculate coolant through the compressor passageway, said case including a plurality of ridges projecting from the wall into said at least part of the volute section and thereby being configured to improve the transfer of heat from the compressed induction fluid to the coolant, said volute section presenting a generally circular cross-sectional shape to present an outer circumference, said ridges being spaced about the outer circumference of the volute section, said ridges each having a helical shape to facilitate flow of compressed induction fluid along the volute section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An air induction system for delivering compressed induction fluid to an engine, wherein the engine is cooled by a closed-loop engine coolant system, the air induction system comprising:
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a centrifugal supercharger configured to be mechanically driven by the engine, said supercharger including a case that presents a compressor chamber, said case including a wall that defines a volute section of the compressor chamber, said supercharger including a rotatable impeller within the compressor chamber and operable to compress induction fluid when powered by the engine, said case presenting a compressor coolant passageway that is defined at least partly by the wall, said compressor passageway extending along at least part of the volute section of the compressor chamber; and a recirculating induction coolant system fluidly connected to the compressor passageway and operable to recirculate coolant through the compressor passageway, said case including a plurality of ridges projecting from the wall into said at least part of the volute section and thereby being configured to improve the transfer of heat from the compressed induction fluid to the coolant, said case presenting a transmission chamber, said supercharger including a transmission drivingly connectable to the engine and operable to supply power to the impeller, with the transmission being located at least substantially within the transmission chamber, said case presenting a transmission coolant passageway adjacent the transmission chamber, said recirculating induction coolant system being fluidly connected to the transmission passageway and operable to recirculate coolant through the transmission passageway. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification