Cooling system for internal combustion engines

A process for cooling for a condenserless internal combustion engine, comprising the following steps:

• pumping a substantially anhydrous, boilable liquid coolant, having a saturation temperature above that of water, from a coolant chamber within the engine, through a heat exchanger, and back into the coolant chamber;
• the coolant being pumped at a flow rate so that substantially no coolant vapor is formed outside of the coolant chamber;
• the coolant also beingpumped at a flow rate and distributed through the coolant chamber so that substantially all of the liquid coolant in the coolant chamber that does not flow into contact with the metal surfaces of the engine is maintained below its saturation temperature, and substantially all of the coolant vapor formed within the coolant chamber is condensed by the liquid coolant;
• exhausting gases or vapor not condensed by the liquid coolant in the coolant chamber therefrom, through means for exhausting coupled in fluid communication with a section of the apparatus at about ambient pressure or below that pressure and adapted to restrict the return of moisture to the coolant in the coolant chamber.

A condenserless apparatus for cooling an internal combustion engine with a substantially anhydrous, boilable liquid coolant having a saturation temperature higher than that of water, comprising:

• a coolant chamber formed adjacent to the combustion chamber domes and exhaust runners of the engine, the coolant chamber receiving the liquid coolant to cool the metal surfaces of the engine;
• a heat exchanger coupled in fluid communication with the coolant chamber, the heat exchanger reducing the temperature of coolant flowing therethrough;
• a coolant pump coupled in fluid communication with the coolant chamber and the heat exchanger to pump coolant therethrough, the coolant being pumped and distributed through the coolant chamber so that substantially no coolant vapor is formed due to a coolant pressure drop across the pump, and the temperature of the coolant adjacent to the combustion chamber domes and exhaust runners, but not in contact therewith, is maintained below the saturation temperature of the coolant, and substantially all coolant vaporized within the coolant chamber is condensed within the liquid coolant;
• and
• the means for exhausting gases or vapors not condensed by the liquid coolant within the coolant chamber therefrom, from a location in the engine at about ambient pressure or below that pressure.

A condenserless apparatus for cooling an internal combustion engine with a substantially anhydrous, boilable liquid coolant having a saturation temperature higher than that of water, comprising:

• a coolant chamber surrounding the cylinder walls and combustion chambers of the engine, the coolant chamber receiving the coolant for cooling the metal surfaces of the engine, the coolant chamber including a coolant inlet to permit the coolant to flow therein, and a coolant outlet to permit the coolant to flow therefrom, the coolant outlet being located on the same side of the engine as the coolant inlet;
• a coolant pump cooled in fluid communication with the coolant chamber, the coolant pump being adapted to pump the coolant through the coolant chamber at a flow rate so that the liquid coolant substantially condenses coolant vaporized upon contact with the metal surfaces of the engine;
• a head gasket seated between a cylinder head and engine block of the engine, the head gasket defining a plurality of coolant apertures extending therethrough, the coolant apertures being in fluid communication with the coolant chamber to permit coolant to flow therethrough, each respective cooling aperture being located and sized so that coolant vaporized upon contact means for exhausting gases or vapor not condensed by the liquid coolant in the coolant chamber therefrom, the means for exhausting being coupled in fluid communication with a section of the apparatus at about ambient pressure or below that pressure and adapted to restrict the return of moisture to the coolant in the coolant chamber.

An condenserless apparatus for cooling an internal combustion engine with a substantially anhydrous, boilable liquid coolant having a saturation temperature higher than that of water, comprising:

• a coolant chamber formed therein to receive the liquid coolant to cool the surfaces of the engine;
• means for exhausting gases or vapor not condensed by the liquid coolant in the coolant chamber therefrom, the means for exhausting being coupled in fluid communication with a section of the apparatus at about ambient pressure or below that pressure;
• means for distributing coolant through the coolant chamber so that coolant vaporized upon contact with the metal surfaces of the engine substantially condenses in the liquid coolant;
• and
• a pump coupled in fluid communication with the coolant chamber and the heat exchanger to pump the coolant therethrough at a flow rate so that coolant vaporized upon contact with the metal surfaces of the engine substantially condenses in the liquid coolant.

An apparatus for cooling an internal combustion engine with a substantially anhydrous, boilable liquid coolant having a saturation temperature higher than that of water, comprising:

• a coolant chamber surrounding the cylinder walls and combustion chambers of the engine to receive the coolant for cooling the metal surfaces of the engine;
• a coolant pump coupled in fluid communication with the coolant chamber, the coolant pump being adapted to pump the coolant through the coolant chamber at a flow rate so that the liquid coolant substantially condenses coolant vaporized upon contact with the metal surfaces of the engine;
• means for distributing coolant through the coolant chamber so that coolant vaporized upon contact with the metal surfaces of the engine substantially condenses in the liquid coolant;
• a head gasket seated between a cylinder head and an engine bock of the engine;
• the means for distributing includes a plurality of coolant apertures extending through the head gasket, each of the coolant apertures being in fluid communication with the coolant chamber to permit coolant to flow therethrough;
• a first coolant inlet in fluid communication with the coolant chamber, the radiator and the pump;
• A coolant outlet in fluid communication with the coolant chamber and the pump, the coolant outlet being located at about the midpoint of the coolant chamber measured between a front wall and a rear wall of the engine;
• and
• a second coolant inlet in fluid communication with the coolant chamber, and the radiator and/or the coolant pump, the second coolant inlet being located on the opposite side of the engine of the first coolant inlet.

An apparatus for cooling an internal combustion engine with a substantially anhydrous, boilable liquid coolant having a saturation temperature higher than that of water, comprising:

• a coolant chamber surrounding the cylinder walls and combustion chambers of the engine to receive the coolant for cooling the metal surfaces of the engine;
• a coolant pump coupled in fluid communication with the coolant chamber, the coolant pump being adapted to pump the coolant through the coolant chamber at a flow rate so that the liquid coolant substantially condenses coolant vaporized upon contact with the metal surfaces of the engine;
• means for distributing coolant through the coolant chamber so that coolant vaporized upon contact with the metal surfaces of the engine substantially condenses in the liquid coolant;
• means for exhausting gases or vapor not condensed by the liquid coolant in the coolant chamber therefrom, the means for exhausting being coupled in fluid communication with a section of the apparatus at about ambient pressure or below that pressure;
• an expansion tank coupled in fluid communication with the coolant chamber, to receive expanded liquid coolant and/or gases or vapors from the coolant chamber;
• the expansion tank is in fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere and receives liquid coolant therein to maintain a substantially liquid coolant barrier between the coolant chamber and the ambient atmosphere;
• an expansion tank defines an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet port extending through a bottom wall thereof and being in fluid communication with the coolant chamber, the outlet port extending through a top wall thereof and being in fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere, the inlet port being located below the coolant level in the expansion tank and the outlet port being located above the coolant level in the expansion tank, the liquid coolant in the expansion tank thus providing a liquid seal between the outlet port and the coolant chamber;
• and
• a dehydrating unit coupled in fluid communication with the outlet port of the expansion tank, the dehydrating unit substantially removing the water vapor flowing therethrough and into the outlet port.

An apparatus for cooling an internal combustion engine with a substantially anhydrous liquid coolant, comprising:

• a coolant chamber formed therein, the coolant chamber receiving the substantially anhydrous liquid coolant to cool the metal surfaces of the engine;
• first means for exhausting gases and/or vapor from the coolant chamber in fluid communication therewith;
• second means for removing water and/or water vapor flowing into the first means and coupled in fluid communication therewith;
• the second means includes a desiccant material to substantially remove the water and/or water vapor flowing therethrough.