Arrangement for recirculation of exhaust gases of a super-charged internal combustion engine

• US 7,617,679 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2005
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scania CV AB (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Scania CV AB (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Söderberg, Pehr, Ivarsson, Roland, Kardos, Zoltan, Söderberg, Erik, Pettersson, Rickard, Wikstrom, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu; Thai Ba
• Application Number:
  US11/569,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20080047267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 606/052, 605/99, 123/563, 123/568.12
• US Class Current: 60/605.2
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0425 Air cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/05 High pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust system upstream of the turbine and reintroduced into the intake system downstream of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/24 with two or more coolers
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/28 with liquid-cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

An arrangement for recirculation of exhaust gases of a supercharged combustion engine. A return line which connects an engine exhaust line to an air inlet line for air supply to the combustion engine, to recirculate exhaust gases via the return line. A first EGR cooler in which the recirculating exhaust gases in the return line are cooled, as a first step, by a first coolant in a first cooling system. A second EGR cooler in which the recirculating exhaust gases in the return line are cooled, as a second step, by a second coolant in a second cooling system, and the second coolant is adapted to be at a temperature substantially corresponding to the temperature of the ambient surroundings when it is led into the second EGR cooler. A charge air cooler for the inlet line, a radiator for the second cooling system to cool the exhaust gases and a radiator element for cooling the second coolant.

Claims

1. An exhaust gases cooler of a supercharged combustion engine fed by compressed air led from an outside inlet line to the supercharged combustion engine, the compressed air having a first temperature and the exhaust gases cooler being operable to cool exhaust gases by means of a first coolant cooled by an engine coolant radiator that cools engine coolant and by means of a second coolant cooled by a secondary radiator positioned apart from the engine coolant radiator, the exhaust gases cooler comprising:

a first EGR cooler operable, as a first cooling step, to cool the exhaust gases by means of the first coolant; and

a second cooling system comprising a second EGR cooler operable, as a second cooling step, to cool the exhaust gases by means of the second coolant, the second cooling system being operable to cool the second coolant to cool the exhaust gases to a second temperature, the second temperature being substantially the same as the first temperature of the compressed air led to the supercharged combustion engine.

2. The exhaust gases cooler of claim 1, wherein the second cooling system comprises the secondary radiator element.

3. The exhaust gases cooler of claim 2, further comprising a radiator fan positioned and operable to cause ambient air to flow through the secondary radiator element, the radiator fan being additional to a combustion engine radiator fan.

4. The exhaust gases cooler of claim 2, wherein the secondary radiator element is positioned adjacent a charge air cooler for cooling air fed to the supercharged combustion engine.

5. The exhaust gases cooler of claim 4, wherein the secondary radiator element comprises a flat cooling package having a main extent in one plane, and the secondary radiator element is positioned such that the secondary radiator element and the charge air cooler both lie in the one plane.

6. An arrangement for recirculation of exhaust gases of a supercharged combustion engine and for cooling the exhaust gases by a first coolant cooled by an engine coolant radiator that cools engine coolant and by a second coolant cooled by a secondary radiator element positioned apart from the engine coolant radiator, wherein the arrangement comprises:

an exhaust line from the engine operable to lead the exhaust gases out from the combustion engine;

an inlet line leading from outside of the arrangement to the engine and operable to lead, as a compressed air, air at above atmospheric pressure to the combustion engine;

a charge air cooler positioned and operable to cool the compressed air in the inlet line to a first temperature;

a return line connecting the exhaust line to the inlet line, and the return line is operable to recirculate the exhaust gases from the exhaust line to the inlet line;

a first cooling system comprising a first EGR cooler operable, as a first cooling step, to cool the exhaust gases in the return line by the first coolant; and

a second cooling system comprising the secondary radiator element, the secondary radiator element and the charge air cooler being positioned in separate regions of the engine, each of the separate regions being exposed to an ambient air flowing through the separate regions, the second cooling system further comprising a second EGR cooler operable, as a second cooling step, to cool the exhaust gases in the return line by the second coolant, and the second cooling system being operable to cool the second coolant to cool the exhaust gases in the return line to a second temperature, the second temperature being substantially the same as the first temperature of the compressed air led to the combustion engine.

7. An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the first EGR cooler and the second EGR cooler together constitute a composite unit.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the second cooling system further comprises a coolant pump operable to circulate the second coolant through the second cooling system.

9. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the secondary radiator element operable to cool the second coolant is positioned in a region of the engine through which ambient air flows.

10. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the second cooling system further comprises a radiator fan positioned and operable to cause ambient air to flow though the secondary radiator element, the radiator fan being additional to a combustion engine radiator fan.

11. An arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the secondary radiator element operable to cool the second coolant is positioned in a region of the engine through which ambient air flows.

12. An arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the second cooling system further comprises a radiator fan positioned and operable to cause ambient air to flow though the secondary radiator element, the radiator fan being additional to a combustion engine radiator fan.

13. An arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising a charge air cooler positioned and operable to cool the compressed air in the inlet line to the combustion engine.

14. An arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the secondary radiator element and the charge air cooler are positioned in separate regions of the engine through which ambient air flows.

15. An arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the secondary radiator element is positioned adjacent to the charge air cooler.

16. An arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the secondary radiator element and the charge air cooler each comprises a flat cooling package having a main extent in one plane, and the secondary radiator element and the charge air cooler are positioned in the one plane.

17. An arrangement according to claim 16, wherein the first cooling system comprises the engine coolant radiator positioned adjacent the secondary radiator element or the charge air cooler and downstream from the secondary radiator element and from the charge air cooler with respect to a direction of flow of air.

18. An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the second cooling system further comprises a coolant pump operable to circulate the second coolant through the second cooling system.

19. An arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the secondary radiator element operable to cool the second coolant is positioned in a region of the engine through which ambient air flows.

20. An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the secondary radiator element is positioned adjacent to the charge air cooler.

21. An arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the secondary radiator element and the charge air cooler each comprises a flat cooling package having a main extent in one plane, and the secondary radiator element and the charge air cooler are positioned in the one plane.

22. An arrangement according to claim 21, wherein the first cooling system comprises the engine coolant radiator positioned adjacent the secondary radiator element or the charge air cooler and downstream from the secondary radiator element and the charge air cooler with respect to a direction of flow of air.

23. An arrangement according to claim 20, wherein the combustion engine radiator fan is positioned and operable to cause ambient air to flow though the secondary radiator element and the charge air cooler.