Back to results
US 2025/0172086 A1Published application
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 desired operating pressure from the reducing valve.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.