Method and apparatus for preheating of combustion air for an internal combustion engine
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorRobert D. Roley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention provides a method and apparatus for preheating combustion (intake) air of an internal combustion engine during extreme cold ambient temperatures. A valve arrangement is provided to alter the flow of coolant through a radiator and aftercooler. During conditions where intake air temperature is below a predetermined temperature a fluid control valve causes coolant to first flow through a jacket water portion of the engine and next through the aftercooler where the intake air is preheated.
Claims9
An internal combustion engine having a jacket water circuit comprising;
- a radiator,
- a coolant pump,
- an aftercooler, and
- a fluid control valve moveable between a first position and a second position, said control valve being in said first position directing coolant from said coolant pump, simultaneously, to each of said jacket water circuit and said aftercooler, and said control valve being in said second position directing coolant first to said jacket water circuit and second to said intake circuit.
A method of controlling intake air temperature in an internal combustion engine comprising;
- providing intake air to an intake air circuit with an aftercooler;
- determining the temperature of said intake air;
- directing coolant from a jacket water pump, first through a jacket water circuit of said internal combustion engine and second though said aftercooler, if said intake air temperature is below said first predetermined value;
- and
- directing coolant from said jacket water pump, simultaneously, to said aftercooler and said jacket water circuit if said intake air temperature is above said first predetermined value.
The method of controlling the temperature of intake air in an internal combustion engine comprising;
- providing intake air to an intake air circuit having an after cooler;
- determining the temperature of said intake air;
- directing a flow of coolant from a SCAC pump to an aftercooler and directing coolant from a jacket water pump to the jacket water circuit if said intake air temperature is above a first predetermined value;
- directing said flow of coolant from said SCAC pump to a SCAC portion of a radiator and directing said flow of jacket water coolant first to said jacket water circuit and second to said aftercooler, if said intake air temperature is below said predetermined temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.