Internal-combustion engines – Charge forming device – Cooling of combustible mixture
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-14
2004-01-13
McMahon, Marguerite (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Charge forming device
Cooling of combustible mixture
Reexamination Certificate
active
06675781
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERAL SPONSORED R&D
I have received no support from federal sponsored research and development programs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to charge air cooler and more particularly pertains to a new engine charge air cooler for providing greater cooling of the charge air received by an engine employing the invention.
2. Description of Prior Art
The use of air charge coolers is known in prior art. Internal combustion engines compress a mixture of air and fuel in a cylinder and ignite that mixture to create the combustion. By harnessing the energy created by this combustion power is created. The more oxygen molecules contained in the cylinder at the time of combustion the more can be harnessed. The colder the air charge the denser the oxygen molecules thus the more oxygen molecules in the cylinder at the time of combustion equaling more power. Turbochargers and supercharges utilize anther method to get more oxygen into the cylinder. They compress the air to make it denser. This also adds power but by compressing the air it also heats the air charge which can leave potential power unrealized. In turbocharged and supercharged application an intercooler is often used to cool the compressed air charge. An intercooler is an “air-to-air” heat exchanger where the hot compressed air charge is cooled by the cooler ambient air flowing over the fins of the intercooler. This system is much less effective when the vehicle is not moving. The effectiveness of an intercooler is also reliant on the ambient atmospheric temperature.
Other air charge coolers utilize a compressor to circulate a refrigerant through a heat exchanger or as an addition to an existing refrigerant circulation system like the air conditioning system in a vehicle. In order to power the compressor used in this type of system either mechanical energy from the engine or electrical power must be used to circulate the refrigerant through the system reducing the efficiency of the engine.
The engine charge air cooler according to the present invention dramatically departs from the conventional concepts and prior art, and in doing so provides a system primarily developed for the purpose of providing enhanced cooling of the charge air received by an engine employing the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In light of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of air charge coolers now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new engine charge air cooler system wherein the same can be utilized for providing enhanced cooling of the charge air received by an engine employing the invention.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new engine charge air cooler apparatus which has many of the advantages of the charge air coolers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new engine charge air cooler which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art charge air coolers, either alone or in combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises an enhanced charge air cooling system for an internal combustion engine in a vehicle. The charge air cooling system comprises a cryogen storage cylinder of adequate strength to house the cryogen contained in it. The cylinder can be made from aluminum, steel or any material capable of tolerating the cryogen contained within it. The cylinder will have a valve also compatible with the cryogen contained in the cylinder. The wave will have a handle to open close the flow of the cryogen to the air charge cooling system. The valve may also have a siphon tube installed on it. A siphon tube draws the cryogen from the bottom of the cylinder rather than from the top. The siphon tube will only need to be installed in certain situations. This will be discussed more later.
The engine air charge cooling system will also have a cryogen, which will be utilized to freeze the heat exchanger. The cryogen is a gas or a gas in liquid state that is extremely cold. Typically, this cryogen will be stored in the aforementioned cylinder. Some typical cryogen's are nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen but other would also be suitable for charging this air charge cooler. The three cryogen's mentioned are well suited for this invention because they are safe to use, are readily available to consumers, and are extremely cold in the liquid state. These gases when contained in the cylinder will take 2 forms in the cylinder, a gas form and a liquid form. If the cylinder is standing straight up, the gas would rise to the top of the cylinder and the liquid would be below. It is advantageous to utilize the liquid form of the cryogen's as it is much colder than the gas form. In order to access the liquid gas in a cylinder either the cylinder must be mounted upside down so the gas is now at the bottom of the cylinder or a siphon tube must be used to draw the liquid from the bottom of the cylinder while the cylinder is standing straight up. The present invention will work with either form of cryogen, gas or liquid.
Attached to the cylinder valve will be a hose capable of handling the chosen cryogen's temperature range and pressure. The hose will attach to the cylinder using air tight fittings capable of handling the cryogen's temperature and pressure range. The hose will terminate at the optional solenoid valve. The solenoid valve must be “normally closed, energize to open” type valve capable of handling the temperature and pressure range of the chosen cryogen. If the air charge cooling system utilizes the aforementioned solenoid valve, the cryogen will be deployed by opening the cylinder valve to release the cryogen to the solenoid valve then energizing the solenoid valve to release the cryogen to freeze the heat exchanger. The solenoid valve may be energized by any “electrical circuit completing” switch. If a solenoid valve is not utilized the flow of the cryogen must be controlled by the cylinder valve handle by twisting to the open position allowing the cryogen to flow. The optional solenoid valve will attach directly to the heat exchanger if the solenoid option is incorporated into the system.
The air charge cooler heat exchanger is a device that has a hollow cryogen circulation chamber. The heat exchanger has a cryogen inlet and outlet port which both are open to the cryogen circulation chamber. The shape of the heat exchanger can be aerodynamic in design as to minimize the restriction of the air charge flow and disturbance to the air charge flow as it comes in contact with the heat exchanger. An excellent shape for the heat exchanger is the symmetrical wing shape but other shapes can also be effective. The heat exchanger can be sealed to keep the cryogen out of the air charge flow or can be vented to allow the cryogen to mix with the air charge if an advantage is gained by this introduction of the cryogen into the air charge. The heat exchanger, if an aerodynamic shape should be positioned in the air charge flow such that maximum benefit is gained from the shape. The heat exchanger should be made of a material that has excellent heat transfer properties and is capable of handling the pressure and temperature of the cryogen. Aluminum and copper are two excellent materials from which to make the heat exchanger although other material can be used.
The air charge cooling system is initiated by releasing the cryogen from the cylinder either by opening the cylinder valve or opening the cylinder valve then energizing the solenoid valve. The cryogen will flow from the cylinder, in a gas or liquid state, through the cylinder valve, through the hose, through the solenoid valve, if incorporated, and into the inlet of the heat exchanger. The cryogen will circulate and fill the chamber drawing the heat from the heat exchanger into the cryogen thus freezing the heat exchanger. The cryogen will then escape the cryogen chamber through the outlet port or i
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