Aircraft intercooler system and method
AssigneeContinental Motors, Inc.
InventorsJames C. Ray, Michael T. Schaner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat exchanger for an engine includes: an inlet; an outlet; a radiator spanning the inlet and the outlet and in fluid communication with both the inlet and the outlet; and a bypass element spanning the inlet and the outlet and in fluid communication with both the inlet and the outlet and in parallel fluid communication with the radiator, the bypass element including a control mechanism, the control mechanism including a bypass valve and a control cylinder connected to the bypass valve for operating the bypass valve, the control cylinder including a pneumatic ram cylinder in communication with a turbocharger outlet of the engine.
Claims23
A method of using an engine, the method comprising:
- opening a bypass valve of a bypass element of a heat exchanger of the engine in response to a decrease in a fluid pressure in a fluid link located and extending between an output of a turbocharger of the engine and a control mechanism of the bypass element, the fluid link distinct from the bypass element and in fluid communication with a pneumatic ram cylinder of the control mechanism through a calibration valve, the calibration valve in series between the pneumatic ram cylinder and the output of the turbocharger and configured to adjust the fluid pressure, the control mechanism comprising the pneumatic ram cylinder, the fluid pressure in the fluid link equal to an outlet pressure of the turbocharger;
- and
- closing the bypass valve in response to an increase in the fluid pressure in the fluid link.
A method of using an engine, the method comprising:
- opening a bypass valve of a bypass element of a heat exchanger of the engine in response to a decrease in a fluid pressure in a fluid link located between an output of a turbocharger of the engine and a control mechanism of the bypass element, the heat exchanger comprising a position sensor connected to the bypass valve for monitoring actual valve position, the control mechanism comprising a pneumatic ram cylinder, the fluid pressure in the fluid link equal to an outlet pressure of the turbocharger;
- closing the bypass valve in response to an increase in the fluid pressure in the fluid link;
- comparing an input from the position sensor to one of the air temperature input and the air pressure input;
- and
- initiating a warning if a position of the bypass valve as determined from the one of the air temperature input and the air pressure input is not the same as a position of the bypass valve according to the input from the position sensor.
A method of using an engine, the method comprising:
- opening a bypass valve of a bypass element of a heat exchanger of the engine in response to a decrease in a fluid pressure in a fluid link located between an output of a turbocharger of the engine and a control mechanism of the bypass element, the heat exchanger comprising a position sensor connected to the bypass valve for monitoring actual valve position, the control mechanism comprising a pneumatic ram cylinder, the fluid pressure in the fluid link equal to an outlet pressure of the turbocharger;
- closing the bypass valve in response to an increase in the fluid pressure in the fluid link;
- and
- comparing an input from the position sensor with at least one of a manifold pressure input, a turbocharger output pressure input, a turbocharger output temperature input, and a radiator input temperature input;
- and,
- if a position of the bypass valve as determined from the at least one of the manifold pressure input, the turbocharger output pressure input, the turbocharger output temperature input, and the radiator input temperature input is not the same as a position of the bypass valve according to the input from the position sensor, determining the position of the bypass valve according to the input from the position sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.