Patent Application
20200271083
The present disclosure generally pertains to an engine. More particularly this application is directed toward a jacket water and oil heating system for an engine.
Low engine oil and jacket water temperature reduces start-ability of large diesel and spark ignition gas engines. Oil viscosity increases significantly at lower temperatures, which negatively impacts start-ability. Engine block temperature is directly impacted by internal jacket water coolant temperature. Engines in cold ambient locations require jacket water and/or engine oil heaters to achieve starting requirements. Currently, separate heating systems and methods have been used to heat jacket water coolant and engine oil, which can be costly and complex.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,042,609 to Farzad Samie describes an apparatus for improving the fuel economy of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a transmission having a transmission sump that contains transmission fluid, and a heat exchanger disposed within said sump and at least partially submerged in the transmission fluid. The apparatus also includes an engine having a plurality of engine coolant channels. An engine pump is operatively connected to the engine. The engine pump is configured to transfer engine coolant through the plurality of engine coolant channels and then through the heat exchanger. Heat from the engine coolant is transferred to the transmission fluid when the engine coolant passes through the heat exchanger. The heat transferred to the transmission fluid decreases transmission fluid viscosity such that transmission spin losses are reduced and fuel economy is improved.
The present disclosure is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems discovered by the inventors.
A heating system for use with an engine having an oil pan and an engine block is disclosed herein. The engine block includes an engine block inlet and an engine block outlet The heating system includes a heater and a heat exchanger. The heater is disposed outside of the engine block and the oil pan and is in fluid communication with the engine block. The heater can include a heater inlet, and a heater outlet in fluid communication with the heater inlet. The heat exchanger is disposed within the oil pan and has a heat exchanger inlet and a heat exchanger outlet in fluid communication with the heat exchanger inlet. The heating system further includes a heater to heat exchanger fluid path that extends from the heater outlet into the oil pan and to the heat exchanger inlet, a heat exchanger to engine block fluid path extending from the heat exchanger outlet, through the oil pan, and to the engine block inlet, and an engine block to heater fluid path extending from the engine block outlet to the heater inlet.
The present disclosure is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems discovered by the inventors.
The details of embodiments of the present disclosure, both as to their structure and operation, may be gleaned in part by study of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:
The detailed description set forth below, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is intended as a description of various embodiments and is not intended to represent the only embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be apparent that those skilled in the art will be able to understand the disclosure without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in simplified form for brevity of description. Some of the surfaces have been left out or exaggerated for clarity and ease of explanation
FIG.1 is a block diagram of an exemplary engine heating system. The engine heating system 100 includes a single tier oil pan 160 and an engine block 170 of an engine with the rest of the engine not shown, and a heating system 200. The single tier oil pan 160 may be configured so that it has a single tier or an even bottom. The heating system 200 includes a heater 210, a heater to heat exchanger fluid path 232, a heat exchanger 220, a heat exchanger to engine block fluid path 234, and an engine block to heater fluid path 236. The various fluid paths mentioned herein can comprise one or more tubes, hoses, or pipes or similar structures through which a liquid can be transported. The heating system 200 can provide an engine coolant circuit that circulates an engine coolant from the heater 210 through the oil pan 160, through the engine block 170, to the heater 210. The coolant circuit can include the heater 210, the heater to heat exchanger fluid path 232, the heat exchanger 220, the heat exchanger to engine block fluid path 234, the engine block 170, and the engine block to heater fluid path 236.
The heater 210 can be disposed outside of the engine block 170 and single tier oil pan 160 and may comprise a jacket water heater. The heater 210 can include a heater inlet 212 and a heater outlet 214. The heater to heat exchanger fluid path 232 is connected to the heater 210 via heater outlet 214 and is in fluid communication with the heater 210.
The heat exchanger 220 can include a heat exchanger inlet 222 and a heat exchanger outlet 224. The heater to heat exchanger fluid path 232 is connected to the heat exchanger inlet 222. In an example, the heater to heat exchanger fluid path 232 can extend through a first sealed port 162 on the single tier oil pan 160 to the heat exchanger inlet 222. The heat exchanger 220 is in fluid communication with the heater to heat exchanger fluid path 232. The heat exchanger 220 can be disposed within the single tier oil pan 160 below oil level. In an example the heat exchanger 220 is mounted to the single tier oil pan 160. The heat exchanger 220 can be disposed proximate to center of the oil pan 160.
The engine block 170 can include an engine block inlet 172 and an engine block outlet 174 to provide access to jacket water passages that can be cored out through and around the engine block 170. The engine block inlet 172 and engine block outlet 174 can be referred to as a jacket water passage inlet and a jacket water passage outlet respectively. The jacket water passages and jacket water passage inlet and outlet can be part of the engine coolant circuit. The engine block inlet 172 and engine block outlet 174 can be engine coolant ports such as jacket water ports. The heat exchanger to engine block fluid path 234 can connect to the heat exchanger outlet 224 and extend through the single tier oil pan 160 and through a second sealed port 164 on the single tier oil pan 160 to the engine block inlet 172. The heat exchanger to engine block fluid path 234 can be in fluid communication with the heat exchanger 220. The engine block 170 can be in fluid communication with the heat exchanger to engine block fluid path 234. The engine block to heater fluid path 236 can connect to the engine block outlet 174 and extend to the heater inlet 212 and be in fluid communication with the engine block 170. The heater to heat exchanger fluid path 232, the heat exchanger to engine block fluid path 234, and the engine block to heater fluid path 236 may comprise of silicon fluid paths, industrial hoses, conduit, piping, or other delivery systems of the like.
The heating element can be used to increase the temperature of nearby engine coolant via conduction. The thermostat can be disposed proximate to the heater inlet 212. The control system 211 can be operable to open and close a contactor that controls the heating element to be in the on or off state depending on the detected incoming engine coolant temperature from the thermostat. The pump 213 can be disposed proximate to the heater outlet 214. In other words, the pump 213 can be disposed between the heater inlet 212 and heater outlet 214. The pump 213 can be operable to pull the engine coolant through the heater 210. The pump 213 can force the flow and circulation of the engine's coolant through the engine block 170 via jacket water passages as part of the engine coolant circuit. The pump 213 can operate continuously independent of the thermostat and heating element.
The heater outlet 214 can be located proximate to top of the heater 210 and be in fluid communication with the pump 213. The heater inlet 212 can be located proximate to the bottom of the heater 210 and can be in fluid communication with the tank 215.
The present disclosure generally applies to heating engine coolant and engine lubrication for engines used in generators or quick start generators, machinery or equipment such as large trucks or tractors, or other machines and mechanisms requiring an engine running in cold environments. The disclosed heating system 200 can help prepare for and promote a successful start-up of an engine in cold environments with an engine heated coolant circuit. The engine is not needed to be on or started in order for circulation of the engine coolant.
Referring to
Alternatively, the engine coolant may be pumped in the reverse direction and the engine coolant circuit can flow from the heater 210, to the engine block 170, to the heat exchanger 220, to the heater 210. The flow of the engine coolant circuit can be increased or decreased by selecting the appropriate pump 213 to match the heating requirements of the engine to be warmed up.
The control system 211 can be wired to or in signal communication with the engine and can shut off both the pump 213 and heating element if the engine is started. The control system 211 can also shut off the pump 213 and the heating element based on engine coolant temperature or engine temperature information received. For example, the heating system 200 can remain turned on and may start heating engine coolant and pumping engine coolant when engine coolant temperatures or engine temperatures decrease to a set temperature.
Generally, embodiments of the presently disclosed heating system 200 are applicable to the use, assembly, manufacture, operation, maintenance, repair, and improvement of engine heating systems 100, 101, and may be used in order to improve performance and efficiency, decrease maintenance and repair, and/or lower costs. In addition, the heating system 200 may be used in a first product, as a retrofit or enhancement to existing engines as a preventative measure, or even in response to an event.
Although this invention has been shown and described with respect to detailed embodiments and examples thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, the preceding detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. In particular, the described embodiments are not limited to use in conjunction with a particular type of engine or engine heating system 100, 101. For example, the described embodiments may be applied to generators, engines, machinery, equipment, or any variant thereof. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in any preceding section. It is also understood that the illustrations may include exaggerated dimensions and graphical representation to better illustrate the referenced items shown, and are not consider limiting unless expressly stated as such.
It will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. It is appreciated that features shown or discussed in one embodiment or example can be combined with other features shown or discussed in other embodiments and examples. The embodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages.
Any reference to ‘an’ item refers to one or more of those items. The term ‘comprising’ is used herein to mean including the method blocks or elements identified, but that such blocks or elements do not comprise an exclusive list and a method or apparatus may contain additional blocks or elements.
