Drain valve for an air intake system of a machine

• US 8,371,119 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Durand, James Carl, Tabor, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Thai Ba
• Application Number:
  US12/877,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20120055151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 605/99, 123/563, 137/118.01
• US Class Current: 60/599
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 1/00 Pressure lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/08 Separating lubricant from air or fuel-air mixture before entry into cylinder separating in general B01D
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0425 Air cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0468 Water separation or drainage means
• 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 26/23 Layout, e.g. schematics
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/088 Water, snow or ice proofing; Separation or drainage of water, snow or ice
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/265 Plural outflows

Abstract

A machine includes an internal combustion engine mounted on a chassis and having an intake manifold. An air intake system extends from an air inlet to the intake manifold and includes a condensate collection location. The machine also includes a liquid system having a pump that is mechanically coupled to the internal combustion engine. A drain valve is positioned in the air intake system at the condensate collection location and includes a valve member having a closed position and an open position. In the closed position of the valve member, a closing surface of the valve member is exposed to pressurized liquid within the liquid system and the condensate collection location is fluidly blocked from a discharge opening in the air intake system. In the open position of the valve member, the condensate collection location is fluidly connected to the discharge opening.

Claims

1. A method of operating a machine, the machine including an internal combustion engine mounted on a chassis and having an intake manifold, an air intake system extending from an air inlet to the intake manifold and including a condensate collection location, a liquid system including a pump that is mechanically coupled to the internal combustion engine, and a drain valve positioned in the air intake system at the condensate collection location and including a valve member, the method comprising the steps of:

running the internal combustion engine, wherein the running step includes;

pressurizing a liquid within the liquid system;

exposing a closing surface of the valve member to the pressurized liquid;

moving the valve member to a closed position; and

collecting condensate at the condensate collection location; and

stopping the internal combustion engine, wherein the stopping step includes;

bringing the liquid to atmospheric pressure;

moving the valve member to an open position; and

draining condensate from the condensate collection location through a discharge opening in the air intake system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving the valve member to the closed position includes fluidly blocking the condensate collection location from the discharge opening.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving the valve member to the open position includes fluidly connecting the condensate collection location to the discharge opening.

4. The method of claim 1, further including mechanically biasing the valve member toward the open position.

5. A drain valve for an air intake system of a machine, the machine including an internal combustion engine mounted on a chassis and having an intake manifold, and a liquid system including a pump that is mechanically coupled to the internal combustion engine, the air intake system extending from an air inlet to the intake manifold and including a condensate collection location, the drain valve including:

a valve body;

a valve member positioned within the valve body, the valve member having a closed position wherein a closing surface of the valve member is exposed to pressurized liquid within the liquid system and the condensate collection location is fluidly blocked from a discharge opening in the air intake system, and an open position wherein the condensate collection location is fluidly connected to the discharge opening; and

a spring operably positioned within the valve body to bias the valve member toward the open position.

6. A machine, comprising:

a chassis;

an internal combustion engine mounted on the chassis and having an intake manifold;

an air intake system extending from an air inlet to the intake manifold, the air intake system including a condensate collection location;

a liquid system including a pump that is mechanically coupled to the internal combustion engine; and

a drain valve positioned in the air intake system at the condensate collection location and including a valve member having a closed position wherein a closing surface of the valve member is exposed to pressurized liquid within the liquid system and the condensate collection location is fluidly blocked from a discharge opening in the air intake system, and an open position wherein the condensate collection location is fluidly connected to the discharge opening.

7. The machine of claim 6, wherein the air intake system further includes an air intake conduit extending from a compressor of a turbocharger to the intake manifold, wherein a charge air cooler is disposed along the air intake conduit.

8. The machine of claim 7, wherein the charge air cooler is one of an air-to-air aftercooler and an air-to-liquid aftercooler.

9. The machine of claim 7, further including an exhaust conduit extending from an exhaust manifold of the internal combustion engine to a turbine of the turbocharger, and a recirculation conduit, wherein an inlet of the recirculation conduit connects to the exhaust conduit and an outlet of the recirculation conduit connects to the intake manifold.

10. The machine of claim 6, wherein the liquid system is at atmospheric pressure when the internal combustion engine is stopped and is pressurized relative to atmospheric pressure when the internal combustion engine is running.

11. The machine of claim 10, wherein the pump is an oil pump for pressurizing a lubricant within the liquid system relative to atmospheric pressure.

12. The machine of claim 6, wherein the drain valve further includes a spring operably positioned to bias the valve member toward the open position.