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US 8,522,691 B1Granted
Apparatus and method for supplemental cooling
AssigneeElectro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
InventorAAron Gamache Foege
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A supplemental cooling system for a mobile machine having a combustion engine fueled by a liquefied fuel gas is provided wherein the supplemental cooling system is activated when, or in anticipation of, the combustion engine encountering abnormal and/or temporary ambient conditions requiring supplemental cooling and wherein the supplemental cooling is provided by heat transfer from said liquefied fuel gas to a coolant fluid.
Claims20
A supplemental cooling system for an internal combustion engine fueled by a liquefied fuel gas comprising:
- an internal combustion engine configured to combust liquefied fuel gas and having a heat exchanger in thermal contact therewith;
- a storage tank configured to store liquefied fuel gas therein in liquid form;
- a supplemental heat exchanger;
- a radiator in thermal contact with ambient air;
- an accumulator configured to store liquefied fuel gas in gaseous form therein;
- a balance valve, having a controller, fluidly located between said radiator and said supplemental heat exchanger;
- a bypass loop fluidly connected to said balance valve;
- a coolant fluid;
- a sensor configured to measure ambient air temperature;
- wherein said internal combustion engine heat exchanger, said radiator and said supplemental heat exchanger are connected in a fluid loop for the flow of said coolant fluid and whereby said bypass loop fluidly bypasses said supplemental heat exchanger in connecting with said internal combustion engine heat exchanger;
- wherein said storage tank is fluidly connected to said accumulator through said supplemental heat exchanger;
- wherein during normal operation said coolant fluid is heated by said combustion engine and cooled by heat transfer with ambient air through said radiator;
- and
- wherein, in response to an abnormal, temporary increase in ambient air temperature, said controller directs said valve to direct increased coolant fluid flow from said radiator to said supplemental heat exchanger.
11 more elements
A method for providing supplemental cooling to an internal combustion engine fueled by a liquefied fuel gas comprising the steps of:
- providing an internal combustion engine configured to combust liquefied fuel gas and having a heat exchanger in thermal contact therewith;
- providing a storage tank configured to store liquefied fuel gas therein in liquid form;
- providing a supplemental heat exchanger;
- providing a radiator in thermal contact with ambient air;
- providing an accumulator configured to store liquefied fuel gas in gaseous form therein;
- providing a balance valve, having a controller, fluidly located between said radiator and said supplemental heat exchanger;
- providing a bypass loop fluidly connected to said balance valve;
- providing a coolant fluid;
- providing a sensor configured to measure ambient air temperature;
- connecting said internal combustion engine heat exchanger, said radiator and said supplemental heat exchanger in a coolant fluid loop and connecting said bypass loop fluidly around said supplemental heat exchanger through said balance valve for the flow of said coolant fluid such that said coolant fluid, in normal operation, is heated by said combustion engine and cooled by heat transfer with ambient air through said radiator;
- and wherein, in response to an abnormal, temporary increase in ambient air temperature, directing said controller to open said balance valve such that coolant fluid flow from said radiator to said supplemental heat exchanger is increased and coolant fluid flow through said bypass loop is decreased.
8 more elements
A railroad locomotive comprising:
- a car body;
- a plurality of trucks supporting the car body, the trucks having wheels thereon;
- an internal combustion engine configured to combust liquefied fuel gas and having a heat exchanger in thermal contact therewith;
- a storage tank configured to store liquefied fuel gas therein in liquid form;
- a supplemental heat exchanger;
- a radiator in thermal contact with ambient air;
- an accumulator configured to store liquefied fuel gas in gaseous form therein;
- a balance valve, having a controller, fluidly located between said radiator and said supplemental heat exchanger;
- a bypass loop fluidly connected to said balance valve;
- a coolant fluid;
- a sensor configured to measure ambient air temperature;
- wherein said internal combustion engine heat exchanger, said radiator and said supplemental heat exchanger are connected in a fluid loop for the flow of said coolant fluid and whereby said bypass loop fluidly bypasses said supplemental heat exchanger in connecting with said internal combustion engine heat exchanger;
- wherein said storage tank is fluidly connected to said accumulator through said supplemental heat exchanger;
- wherein during normal operation said coolant fluid is heated by said combustion engine and cooled by heat transfer with ambient air through said radiator;
- and
- wherein, in response to an abnormal, temporary increase in ambient air temperature, said controller directs said valve to direct increased coolant fluid flow from said radiator to said supplemental heat exchanger.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.