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US 12,320,289 B1Granted
Passive surge tank pressure augmentation
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsJacob C Hedrick, Scott D. Gendron, David Alexander Schmitt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for pressurizing a liquid cooling system including a pressurized air source configured to supply compressed air and a surge tank for storing a liquid coolant and for pressurizing an interior volume of the surge tank such that a coolant pressure is maintained at the desired operating pressure.
Claims20
A pressurized liquid coolant system comprising:
- a pressurized air source configured to supply compressed air;
- a surge tank for storing a liquid coolant and for pressurizing an interior volume of the surge tank such that a coolant pressure is maintained at an operating pressure;
- an airway for coupling the compressed air between the pressurized air source and a reducing valve;
- a check valve for limiting the flow, either gas or liquid, back into the pressurized air source when the source pressure is reduced below a limit;
- the reducing valve for stopping a flow of the compressed air in response to a pressure of the compressed air exceeding the operating pressure;
- an impedance detector for detecting an impedance of a content of the airway;
- and
- the check valve further configured for restricting an airflow of the airway in response to the impedance being less than a threshold impedance value.
5 more elements
A method for pressurizing a liquid cooling system comprising:
- generating, with a compressor, a compressed air;
- regulating, by a reducing valve, an air pressure of the compressed air to generate a regulated compressed air;
- pressurizing a surge tank for storing a liquid coolant using the regulated compressed air, wherein surge tank forms a portion of the liquid cooling system;
- detecting an electrical impedance within an airway for coupling the compressed air between the compressor and the reducing valve;
- and
- preventing a flow of a liquid between the reducing valve and the compressor in response to the electrical impedance being less than a threshold impedance.
3 more elements
A vehicle cooling system comprising;
- a compressor for generating a compressed air;
- a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of the compressed air;
- a check valve for coupling the compressed air to an airway in response to the pressure of the compressed air exceeding a threshold pressure;
- a restrictor valve for restricting a flow rate of the compressed air in the airway;
- a reducing valve for reducing the pressure of the compressed air from the restrictor valve to an operating pressure;
- and
- a surge tank for supplying a pressurized coolant to a vehicle engine in response to the compressed air having the operating pressure from the reducing valve.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.