Temperature control system for marine exhaust
OwnerThomas William Besoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Temperature control system for marine engine exhaust system. The control system lowers flow of cooling water to water jacket and exhaust gas conduit of the exhaust system at low engine speeds. The control system is typically activated at and below a predetermined engine speed. Once activated, the control system operates to reduce flow of cooling water to the exhaust system. The control can operate in an on/off mode, or can modulate rate of flow of water through the exhaust system, or both. However the water flow is limited, a predetermined minimum flow of cooling water is maintained through the exhaust system, at least either at periodic intervals, or at a constant but lowered rate, to maintain cooling in the exhaust system on rubber components of the exhaust system.
Claims69
A control system for use in a marine exhaust system, such marine exhaust system being adapted for connection to an internal combustion marine engine at an inlet end of such marine exhaust system, such internal combustion marine engine having one or more exhaust gas discharge ports, such marine exhaust system comprising one or more exhaust chambers which define an exhaust gas discharge path for conveying exhaust gases from such one or more exhaust gas discharge ports of such internal combustion marine engine to an exit end of such exhaust gas discharge path, such marine exhaust system being designed to use cooling water, flowing through a water jacket, to control temperatures in the exhaust system, along such exhaust gas discharge path, said control system comprising:
- (a) sensing apparatus sensing at least one parameter, the at least one parameter being related to accumulation of liquid water in such one or more exhaust chambers proximate such inlet end of such marine exhaust system;
- and
- (b) an electrical control receiving, from said sensing apparatus, a signal representing the at least one sensed parameter and, in response to the signal representing a value of such at least one parameter indicating propensity for, or actual, accumulation of liquid water in such one or more exhaust chambers, proximate such inlet end of such marine exhaust system, generating a control response which controls flow of cooling water in a water jacket in such marine exhaust system, sufficient to maintain temperatures, in such marine exhaust system, at such levels as to limit accumulation of liquid water in such one or more exhaust chambers and proximate such exhaust gas discharge ports, from no liquid water to no more liquid water than amounts which are consistent with continued effective operation of both such internal combustion marine engine and such marine exhaust system.
A marine exhaust system having an inlet end and an exit end, said marine exhaust system being adapted for connecting the inlet end of said marine exhaust system to an internal combustion marine engine at one or more exhaust gas discharge ports of such marine engine, said marine exhaust system comprising
- (a) exhaust gas conveyance structure comprising one or more exhaust chambers which define an exhaust gas discharge path for conveying exhaust gases from such one or more exhaust gas discharge ports of such internal combustion marine engine to an exit end of the marine exhaust system, the marine exhaust system being designed to use cooling water, flowing through a water jacket, to control temperatures in the exhaust system along the exhaust gas discharge path;
- and
- (b) control apparatus for limiting accumulation of liquid water in the one or more exhaust chambers of said exhaust gas conveyance structure proximate such exhaust gas discharge ports of such internal combustion marine engine, said control apparatus comprising:
- (i) sensing apparatus sensing at least one parameter, the at least one parameter being related to accumulation of liquid water in the one or more exhaust chambers proximate the inlet end of the marine exhaust system;
- and
- (ii) an electrical control receiving, from said sensing apparatus, a signal representing the at least one sensed parameter and, in response to the signal representing a value of such at least one parameter indicating propensity for, or actual, accumulation of liquid water in the one or more exhaust chambers, proximate the inlet end of the marine exhaust system, generating a control response which controls flow of cooling water in the water jacket in the marine exhaust system, sufficient to maintain temperatures, in said marine exhaust system, at such levels as to limit accumulation of liquid water in the one or more exhaust chambers and proximate such exhaust gas discharge ports, from no liquid water to no more liquid water than amounts which are consistent with continued effective operation of both such internal combustion marine engine and said marine exhaust system.
A marine drive, comprising:
- (a) an internal combustion marine engine, having one or more exhaust ports;
- and
- (b) a marine exhaust system having an inlet end and an exit end, and being connected, at the inlet end of said marine exhaust system, to said internal combustion marine engine at said one or more exhaust gas discharge ports, said marine exhaust system comprising
- (i) exhaust gas conveyance structure comprising one or more exhaust chambers which define an exhaust gas discharge path for conveying exhaust gases from the one or more exhaust gas discharge ports of said internal combustion marine engine to an exit end of the marine exhaust system, said marine exhaust system being designed to use cooling water, flowing through a water jacket, to control temperatures in the exhaust system along the exhaust gas discharge path;
- and
- (ii) control apparatus for limiting accumulation of liquid water in the one or more exhaust chambers of said exhaust gas conveyance structure proximate said exhaust gas discharge ports of said internal combustion marine engine, said control apparatus comprising:
- (A) sensing apparatus sensing at least one parameter, the at least one parameter being related to accumulation of liquid water in the one or more exhaust chambers proximate the inlet end of said marine exhaust system, and
- (B) an electrical control receiving, from said sensing apparatus, a signal representing the at least one sensed parameter and, in response to the signal representing a value of the at least one parameter indicating propensity for, or actual, accumulation of liquid water in the one or more exhaust chambers, proximate the inlet end of said marine exhaust system, generating a control response which controls flow of cooling water in the water jacket in said marine exhaust system, sufficient to maintain temperatures, in said marine exhaust system, at such levels as to limit accumulation of liquid water in the one or more exhaust chambers and proximate said exhaust gas discharge ports, from no liquid water to no more liquid water than amounts which are consistent with continued effective operation of both said internal combustion marine engine and said marine exhaust system.
In a marine exhaust system, the marine exhaust system being adapted for connection to an internal combustion marine engine at an inlet end of the marine exhaust system, such internal combustion marine engine having one or more exhaust gas discharge ports, the marine exhaust system comprising one or more exhaust chambers which define an exhaust gas discharge path for conveying exhaust gases from such one or more exhaust gas discharge ports of such internal combustion marine engine to an exit end of the exhaust gas discharge path, the marine exhaust system being designed to use cooling water, flowing through a water jacket, to control temperatures in the exhaust system, along the exhaust gas discharge path,
- a method of limiting accumulation of liquid water in the one or more exhaust chambers proximate such exhaust gas discharge ports of such internal combustion marine engine, the method comprising activating a control system, comprising:
- (a) sensing at least one parameter using sensor apparatus, the at least one parameter being related to accumulation of liquid water in the one or more exhaust chambers proximate the inlet end of the marine exhaust system;
- and
- (b) sending a signal from the sensor apparatus to an electrical control which generates a control response which controls flow of cooling water in the water jacket in the marine exhaust system, sufficient to maintain temperatures in the exhaust system at such levels as to limit accumulation of liquid water in the one or more exhaust chambers and proximate such exhaust gas discharge ports, from no liquid water to no more liquid water than amounts which are consistent with continued effective operation of both such internal combustion marine engine and the marine exhaust system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.