Internal-combustion engines – Cooling – With vapor generation and/or condensing
Patent
1985-07-16
1987-04-14
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
Internal-combustion engines
Cooling
With vapor generation and/or condensing
123 4127, F01P 322
Patent
active
046569740
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a boiling and cooling apparatus which utilizes vaporized-coolant latent heat to cool an internal combustion engine. More particularly, the invention relates to a boiling and cooling apparatus for use in cooling a V-type engine with the cylinders arranged in a V configuration.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In Europe Patent Laid Open No. 0 059 423 published on Sept. 8, 1982, there is disclosed an internal combustion engine cooling apparatus which generates steam within a water jacket, pressurizes the steam, cools the steam to liquefy the steam, decompresses the liquefied coolant to a normal pressure, and recirculates it to the water jacket.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,448,729 granted to Persons on June 10, 1969, there is disclosed a boiling and cooling apparatus used to cool a V-type engine.
It is desirable for such a boiling and cooling apparatus to have a device which can furnish an adequate supply of coolant to the water jacket from a reservoir or low tank so as to maintain the coolant at a predetermined level within the water jacket. It has been proposed, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 663,911, filed on Oct. 23, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,505, to provide a control device which controls a feed pump provided in a coolant supply passage connected between the reservoir and the water jacket. A level sensor, connected to the control device, is provided to monitor the level of the coolant contained in the water jacket. The control device drives the feed pump to maintain the coolant level above the predetermined value when the level sensor detects the coolant level falling below the predetermined value.
If such a boiling and cooling apparatus is applied to a V-type engine which normally has separate cylinder-head water jackets formed in the cylinder blocks of the respective banks, it is required to compensate for coolant level variations produced when the vehicle is rolling or running on a slope by providing a plurality of level sensors at different positions in the engine. This in turns increases the cost, sophisticates the coolant level control, and results in a slow coolant level control response.
In addition, bubbles form to unsettle the coolant surface in the cylinder-head water jackets of the respective banks so as to introduce errors in the coolant level measurement when the coolant is boiled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a main object of the present invention to provide a boiling and cooling apparatus suitable for use with V-type engines.
It is another object of the present invention to permit the use of a single level sensor for sensing the levels of the coolant contained in the banks of a V-type engine.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a boiling and cooling apparatus which can increase the level measurement accuracy by providing a level sensor at a position where the coolant level is relatively stable in the water jackets.
The above and other objects can be achieved, in accordance with the present invention, by providing a boiling and cooling apparatus for use with a V-type engine, the apparatus comprising a connection passage connected between the water jackets provided in the respective banks of the V-type engine. The connection passage is open into the vapor inlet of a vapor passage. The vapor generated in the water jackets is introduced from the vapor inlet opening into the connection passage through the vapor passage to a condenser. A level sensor is provided in the connection passage for sensing the level of the coolant contained in the connection passage which corresponds to the levels of the coolant contained in the water jackets of the respective banks. The level sensor generates a sensor signal when the level of the coolant contained in the connection passage drops below a predetermined value. This sensor signal is applied to a control circuit which thereby generates a control signal to drive a feed pump so as to supply coolant from a reservoir or a low tank to the water jackets.
With the apparatus
REFERENCES:
patent: 1787562 (1931-01-01), Barlow
patent: 3448729 (1969-06-01), Parsons
patent: 4553505 (1985-11-01), Hirano et al.
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Nissan Motor Company Limited
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