Engine cooling system
AssigneeVolvo Trucks North America, Inc.
InventorDennis Langervik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved cooling system for a turbo charged internal combustion engine is disclosed. A conduit connects a pressurizing engine air intake to the cooling system to raise the pressure in the cooling system thereby enabling an increase of the maximum temperature which coolant in the cooling system can reach. An electronically controlled valve selectively places the expansion tank in communication with the pressurizing engine air intake to maintain a desired pressure in the tank and to prevent back flow of fluid into the engine air intake.
Claims26
An apparatus for controlling an engine cooling system pressure comprising:
- an expansion tank for collecting coolant liquid;
- a conduit in fluid communication with the expansion tank for supplying gas under pressure from an external pressure source to pressurize the cooling system;
- and
- a valve between the expansion tank and the external pressure source, said valve including a device disposed in the expansion tank that is responsive to a level of coolant liquid in the expansion tank to actuate the valve to block back flow of coolant liquid to the external pressure source when the level of coolant liquid rises to a threshold level.
An apparatus for controlling an engine cooling system pressure comprising:
- an expansion tank for collecting coolant liquid;
- a conduit in fluid communication with the expansion tank for supplying gas under pressure from an external pressure source to pressurize the cooling system;
- a valve between the expansion tank and the external pressure source to selectively place the expansion tank in fluid communication with the external pressure source, and
- an electronic controller connected to send control signal to actuate the valve.
A method that controls a valve interposed between a coolant expansion tank and a pressure source comprising:
- monitoring an actual cooling system pressure;
- calculating a range of optimal system pressures based on current operating conditions;
- comparing the actual cooling system pressure to the optimal system pressure;
- and
- when the actual cooling system pressure is below the range of optimal system pressures, opening the valve to connect the coolant expansion tank to the pressure source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.