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US 5,309,870 AGranted
Method and apparatus for cooling a heat engine of widely variable power
AssigneeValeo Thermique Moteur
InventorNgy S. Ap
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AssigneeValeo Thermique Moteur
InventorNgy S. Ap
Estimating the term…
A cooling system for a motor vehicle engine includes a heat exchanger, ducting connecting the engine and the heat exchanger in a closed circuit, and a pump for circulating coolant fluid in the circuit. The heat exchanger is arranged to act as a condenser when required, and the pump is an electric pump which circulates the coolant fluid between the engine and the heat exchanger. The system includes a three-way thermostatic valve, which causes the fraction of the cooling fluid delivered into the heat exchanger, in relation to the constant flow passing through the engine, to be varied progressively from 0 to 100%. When the engine is working at its highest power, the fluid vaporises in the engine and condenses in the heat exchanger, while at lower power levels the heat exchanger operates like a conventional cooling radiator.
A method of cooling an internal combustion engine of widely variable power, in which a coolant fluid flows between the engine and a heat exchanger whereby the engine yields heat to the fluid and the fluid then yields heat in the heat exchanger to an external environment, the method comprising the steps of introducing the fluid into the engine in the liquid state at a volumetric flow rate which is substantially independent of the power and working mode of the engine, whereby when the engine is running at low power the fluid reaches the heat exchanger entirely in the liquid state, and when the engine is running at high power the fluid reaches the heat exchanger at least partly in the gaseous state, causing a fraction of the fluid flow, variable according to the power output of the engine, when the coolant fluid reaches the heat exchanger entirely in the liquid state, to pass through the heat exchanger, and causing all of the fluid flow to pass through the heat exchanger when the coolant fluid reaches the heat exchanger at least partly in the gaseous state.
A method of cooling an internal combustion engine of widely variable power in which a coolant fluid flows between the engine and a heat exchanger whereby the engine yields heat to the fluid and the fluid then yields heat in the heat exchanger to an external environment, the method comprising the steps of introducing the fluid into the engine in the liquid state at a volumetric flow rate which is substantially independent of the power and working mode of the engine, whereby when the engine is running at low power the fluid reaches the heat exchanger entirely in the liquid state, and when the engine is running at high power the fluid reaches the heat exchanger at least partly in the gaseous state, causing a fraction of the fluid flow, variable according to the power output of the engine, when the coolant fluid reaches the heat exchanger entirely in the liquid state, to pass through the heat exchanger, and causing all of the fluid flow to pass through the heat exchanger when the coolant fluid reaches the heat exchanger atleast partly in the gaseous state, sensing the fluid temperature at a predetermined point in the cooling circuit, and using this information thereby to determine the appropriate fraction of the flow to be delivered to the heat exchanger.
Apparatus for cooling the coolant fluid of an internal combustion engine of widely variable power comprising a heat exchanger for removing heat from the coolant fluid and adapted to enable fluid entering the heat exchanger in the gaseous state to condense therein;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.