Variable capacity type viscous heater

Details Variable capacity type viscous heater Variable capacity type viscous heater

1997-05-06

1998-05-19

Dority, Carroll B.

Stoves and furnaces

Heaters

Frictional

122 26, F24C 900

Patent

active

057524998

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a variable capacity type viscous heater in which a viscous fluid is caused to generate heat by shearing. The resulting heat is utilized as a thermal source for heating by carrying out heat exchange with a circulating fluid which circulates in a radiator chamber.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, a variable capacity type viscous heater is disclosed as set forth in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 3-98,107. In this viscous heater, a front housing and a rear housing are disposed and fastened so as to face with each other, and form a heat-generating chamber and a water jacket therein. The water jacket is disposed around an outer region of the heat-generating chamber. In the water jacket, circulating water is circulated so that it is taken in through a water inlet port, and that it is delivered out to an external heating circuit through a water outlet port. In the front and rear housings, a driving shaft is held rotatably via a bearing apparatus. To the driving shaft, a rotor is fixed so that it can rotate in the heat-generating chamber. A wall surface of the heat-generating chamber and an outer surface of the rotor constitute axial labyrinth grooves which approach to each other. In a space between the wall surface of the heat-generating chamber and the outer surface of the rotor, a viscous fluid, such as a silicone oil, is interposed.
The characteristic arrangements of the viscous heater are as follows: An upper cover and a lower cover, which are provided with a diaphragm therein, are disposed below the front and rear housings. A control chamber is defined by the upper cover and the diaphragm. The heat-generating chamber is communicated with the atmosphere by a through hole which is drilled through at the upper end of the front and rear housings, and the heat-generating chamber is also communicated with the control chamber by a communication pipe which is formed in the upper cover. The diaphragm is capable of adjusting the internal volume of the control chamber by means of a manifold negative pressure, a coil spring, and the like.
In the viscous heater built into a vehicle heating apparatus, the rotor rotates in the heat-generating chamber when the driving shaft is driven by an engine. Accordingly, the viscous fluid is caused to generate heat by shearing in the space between the wall surface of the heat-generating chamber and the outer surface of the rotor. The thus generated heat is heat-exchanged to the circulating water in the water jacket. The heated circulating water is used at the heating circuit to heat a compartment of a vehicle.
According to the publication, the capacity variation of the viscous heater is effected as follows. For example, when the heating is carried out too strongly, the diaphragm is displaced downward by means of a manifold negative pressure, thereby enlarging the internal volume of the control chamber. Thus, the heat generation is reduced in the space between the wall surface of the heat-generating chamber and the outer surface of the rotor to relieve the heating, because the viscous fluid, held in the heat-generating chamber, is collected into the control chamber. On the contrary, when the heating is carried out too weakly, the diaphragm is displaced upward by an action of an atmospheric pressure adjustment hole and a coil spring, thereby reducing the internal volume of the control chamber. Thus, the heat generation is increased in the space between the wall surface of the heat-generating chamber and the outer surface of the rotor to intensify the heating, because the viscous fluid, held in the control chamber, is delivered out into the heat-generating chamber.
However, in the above-described conventional viscous hater, the viscous fluid should be collected into the control chamber by means of its own weight when reducing the capacity, because the control chamber is disposed below the heat-generating chamber. In this instance, it was found difficult for the viscous fluid to move downward when the rot

REFERENCES:
patent: 4733635 (1988-03-01), Menard et al.
patent: 4974778 (1990-12-01), Bertling
patent: 4993377 (1991-02-01), Itakura
patent: 5573184 (1996-11-01), Martin

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