# US 10,502,121 B2 · Pressure wave supercharger cooling system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,121 B2 - Document ID: US10502121B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/327,938 - Filed: 2015-07-24 - Published: 2017-07-27 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-24 - Assignees: Antrova AG - Applicants: Antrova AG - Inventors: Mario Skopil - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502121B2 ## CPC - F02B 33/42: with driven apparatus for immediate conversion of combustion gas pressure into pressure of fresh charge, e.g. with cell-type pressure exchangers - F02B 39/005: {Cooling of pump drives} - F02B 39/14: Lubrication of pumps; Safety measures therefor - F04F 13/00: Pressure exchangers - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - F04F: PUMPING OF FLUID BY DIRECT CONTACT OF ANOTHER FLUID OR BY USING INERTIA OF FLUID TO BE PUMPED {(evacuating by sorption F04B)}; SIPHONS {(conveying materials in bulk by flows of gas, liquid of foam B65G53/00)} - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A pressure wave supercharger for compressing fresh air for an internal combustion engine includes a cold gas housing, a hot gas housing, and a rotor casing inside which a rotatable cell rotor is disposed. The hot gas housing has a high-pressure exhaust gas duct and a low-pressure exhaust gas duct, while the cold gas housing has a fresh air duct and a charge air duct. The high-pressure exhaust gas duct, the low-pressure exhaust gas duct, the fresh air duct and the charge air duct are fluidically connected to the cell rotor. The hot gas housing has a heat exchanger which is designed in such a way that at least a first bearing for a rotor shaft can be cooled. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pressure wave supercharger for compressing fresh air for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a cold gas housing, a hot gas housing, and a rotor casing, which is arranged therebetween; wherein a rotatable cell rotor is arranged within the rotor casing; wherein the hot gas housing includes a high-pressure exhaust duct and a low-pressure exhaust duct; wherein the cold gas housing includes a fresh air duct and a charge air duct; wherein the high-pressure exhaust duct, the low-pressure exhaust duct, the fresh air duct and the charge air duct are fluidically connected to the cell rotor; wherein the hot gas housing includes a first bearing, and the cold gas housing includes a second bearing; wherein the cell rotor comprises a rotor shaft, which is mounted in the first and second bearings; the rotor casing is an integral tubular barrel casing, which is connected to the hot gas housing and the cold gas housing; the hot gas housing includes a heat exchanger for cooling at least the first bearing; wherein the heat exchanger has cooling ducts, which extend within the hot gas housing; wherein the hot gas housing comprises a bearing seat wall, which, on the side facing the first bearing, has a bearing seat of the first bearing, wherein the first bearing is arranged in the bearing seat, and, on a side facing away from the first bearing, the bearing seat wall forms part of a cooling duct outer wall of a cooling duct of the heat exchanger; wherein the bearing seat wall has an end and, starting from the end, a bearing section in the form of a hollow cylinder, wherein the end and the bearing sections forms the bearing seat, and wherein both the end and the bearing section are in the form of a hollow cylinder and form part of the cooling duct outer wall; and wherein the end and the bearing section surround an axial end of the first bearing on three sides. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger has a cooling duct, which completely surrounds the high-pressure exhaust duct, at least in some section or sections, with the result that the outer wall of the high-pressure exhaust duct simultaneously forms part of the cooling duct outer wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 2, wherein the heat exchanger has a cooling duct which completely surrounds the low-pressure exhaust duct, at least in some section or sections, with the result that the outer wall of the low-pressure exhaust duct simultaneously forms part of the cooling duct outer wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is designed in such a way that the high-pressure exhaust duct can be cooled, wherein the first bearing is cooled first and then the high-pressure exhaust duct. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is designed in such a way that the low-pressure exhaust duct can also be cooled. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a water circuit for cooling. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 1, wherein an additional heat exchanger cools a high-pressure exhaust feed line, wherein the high-pressure exhaust feed line is arranged upstream of the high-pressure exhaust duct in the exhaust gas flow direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least the first bearing or the second bearing is designed as a rolling bearing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least the first bearing has an oil or grease lubrication system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 7, wherein the hot gas housing comprises an oil circuit, which supplies the first bearing with oil. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cell rotor is of at least two-part design in the direction of extent of the rotor shaft and comprises a first cell rotor part and a second cell rotor part, wherein the two cell rotor parts are spaced apart in the direction of extent of the rotor shaft. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sealing ring for sealing is arranged between the cold housing and the rotor casing and/or between the hot gas housing and the rotor casing, and in that the sealing ring is composed of metal or plastic. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The pressure wave supercharger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hot gas housing is manufactured from aluminum or a light metal alloy. ### Claim 14 A method for operating a pressure wave supercharger for compressing fresh air for an internal combustion engine, wherein the pressure wave supercharger having: a cold gas housing, a hot gas housing, and a rotor casing, which is arranged therebetween, wherein a rotatable cell rotor is arranged within the rotor casing, the hot gas housing including a high-pressure exhaust duct and a low-pressure exhaust duct, the cell rotor being supported by a first bearing and by a second bearing arranged in the cold gas housing, the hot gas housing being cooled by a heat exchanger so that that the first bearing is cooled by arranged in a bearing seat and the bearing seat is cooled externally by a cooling liquid; a temperature sensor in the high-pressure exhaust duct; and the method comprising: measuring a temperature in the high-pressure exhaust duct via the temperature sensor; changing the cooling capacity of the heat exchanger in response to the temperature measured in the high-pressure exhaust duct; reducing the cooling capacity of the heat exchanger during a cold start until the pressure wave supercharger reaches a minimum temperature (Tmin), and increasing the cooling capacity of the heat exchanger to cool the first bearing in the hot gas housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein an exhaust gas flow from the internal combustion engine flowing through at least one of the high-pressure exhaust duct or through a high-pressure exhaust feed line arranged upstream of the high-pressure exhaust duct is cooled. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein a cooling duct completely surrounds the high-pressure exhaust duct, at least along a cooling section, with the result that the high-pressure exhaust duct is cooled along the entire circumferential surface in the cooling section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein a cooling duct completely surrounds the low-pressure exhaust duct, at least along a cooling section, with the result that the low-pressure exhaust duct is cooled along the entire circumferential surface in the cooling section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the cooling capacity of the heat exchanger during a cold start is reduced during a predetermined starting time period (Tst), and wherein the cooling capacity of the heat exchanger is increased on expiry of the starting time period (Tst). ### Claim 19 A pressure wave supercharger for compressing fresh air for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a cold gas housing, a hot gas housing, and a rotor casing, which is arranged therebetween; wherein a rotatable cell rotor is arranged within the rotor casing; wherein the hot gas housing comprises a high-pressure exhaust duct and a low-pressure exhaust duct; wherein the cold gas housing includes a fresh air duct and a charge air duct; wherein the high-pressure exhaust duct, the low-pressure exhaust duct, the fresh air duct and the charge air duct are fluidically connected to the cell rotor; wherein the hot gas housing includes a first bearing, and the cold gas housing includes a second bearing; wherein the cell rotor comprises a rotor shaft, which is mounted in the first and second bearings; the rotor casing is an integral tubular barrel casing, which is connected to the hot gas housing and the cold gas housing; the hot gas housing includes a heat exchanger for cooling at least the first bearing; wherein the heat exchanger has cooling ducts, which extend within the hot gas housing; and wherein an additional heat exchanger cools a high-pressure exhaust feed line; wherein the high-pressure exhaust feed line is arranged upstream of the high-pressure exhaust duct in the exhaust gas flow direction.