Cooling system for automotive engine or the like

An internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a coolant jacket into which coolant is introduced in liquid form and maintained at a level above said combustion chamber, said liquid coolant being permitted to boil;
• a radiator for condensing the gaseous coolant generated by the boiling of said liquid coolant in said coolant jacket;
• a reservoir which communicates with one of said coolant jacket and said radiator, said reservoir being arranged to store coolant therein;
• and
• a control arrangement for normally blocking communication between said reservoir and said one of said coolant jacket and said radiator and for establishing fluid communication therebetween when one of the pressure and temperature within said coolant jacket is below a predetermined level;
• a first level sensor disposed in said coolant jacket at said level higher than said combustion chamber;
• a pump disposed in a return conduit leading from said radiator to said coolant jacket for returning condensed coolant from said radiator to said coolant jacket, said pump being responsive to the output of said first level sensor in a manner to maintain the level of liquid coolant at said level higher than said combustion chamber.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber comprising the steps of:

• introducing coolant into a coolant jacket formed in said engine in a liquid form;
• using said liquid coolant to absorb heat produced by said engine and converting said liquid coolant into its gaseous form;
• condensing the gaseous coolant generated in said coolant jacket in a radiator;
• storing a predetermined amount of coolant in a reservoir;
• introducing the coolant stored in said reservoir into said coolant jacket and radiator to fill same when one of the pressure and temperature in said radiator and coolant jacket tend to fall below a first predetermined level.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber comprising the steps of:

• introducing coolant into a coolant jacket formed in said engine, in a liquid form;
• using said liquid coolant to absorb heat produced by said engine and converting said liquid coolant into its gaseous form;
• condensing the gaseous coolant generated in said coolant jacket in a radiator;
• storing a predetermined amount of coolant in a reservoir;
• and
• introducing the coolant stored in said reservoir into said coolant jacket and radiator when one of the pressure and temperature in said radiator and coolant jacket is below a first predetermined level.