Patent Application
20150285126
The present disclosure relates to a cooling means for an engine, and more particularly, to an oil channel provided in association with the engine.
An engine used for powering a machine, like an electric generator, generally includes a cooling system associated therewith. The cooling system is configured to maintain a temperature of various parts of the engine. The cooling system is configured to direct a coolant through various parts of the engine, for example, a piston of the engine. The piston may be cooled by spraying the coolant, for example oil, through an oil nozzle from below the piston. Engines including larger cylinder dimensions and high cylinder power generally produce more amount of heat. Accordingly, the piston of such engines is provided with two oil nozzles located on opposite sides of the piston. CL SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
In one aspect of the present disclosure, an engine block is disclosed. The engine block includes a cylinder and a piston. The piston is slidably received within the cylinder. The engine block also includes a liner. The liner is positioned between the cylinder and the piston. The engine block further includes a groove. The groove is provided about and in communication with the liner and the cylinder. The engine block includes at least two oil nozzles. The oil nozzles are arranged spaced apart from each other. The oil nozzles are configured to spray oil on the piston. The engine block also includes an oil channel. The oil channel is configured to supply oil to at least one of the at least two oil nozzles via the groove. The engine may comprise a single oil channel.
One of the oil nozzles is provided on a first side of the piston and another oil nozzle is provided on a second side of the piston, such that the first and second sides oppose each other.
The oil channel may be provided on the first side of the piston, and supply oil via the groove to the oil nozzle at the second side of the piston or vice versa. Providing the oil channel in association with each piston is inexpensive. Also, the oil channel provides a compact and a less complex design of the engine block. Further, the groove is provided in fluid communication with the oil nozzles. The groove may fluidly connect the oil nozzles provided in association with the piston to the oil channel. The engine block may include a set of grooves. In one embodiment, when the liner is relatively thick, the groove is provided on a lower part of the liner, such that a depth of the groove is lesser than a thickness of the liner. In another embodiment, wherein the liner is relatively thin, the groove is provided in the engine block. More particularly, the groove is provided in communication with an inner wall of the cylinder. A sealing member is provided in association with and surrounding the groove. The sealing member may be positioned within the liner or the engine block. The engine block may be utilized for an inline engine or a V-type engine. In the V-type engine, the oil channel may be positioned at a center of the V configuration. Alternatively, the oil channel may be provided on both outer sides of the V configuration respectively.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, a cylinder liner is provided. The cylinder liner includes an inner surface. The cylinder liner also includes an outer surface. Further, the cylinder liner includes a circumferential channel with at least an opening at the outer surface to transport oil.
The cylinder liner includes the inner and outer surface, such that the circumferential channel is a groove provided at the outer surface of the cylinder liner. The cylinder liner includes an upper part and a lower part. The upper part of the cylinder liner is directed in an operational state to a cylinder head. Further, the circumferential groove is provided at the lower part of the cylinder liner.
Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or the like parts. Referring now to
The engine 100 may be powered by any one or a combination of known liquid or gaseous fuels including, but not limited to, gasoline, diesel, natural gas, petroleum gas and bio-fuels. The engine 100 may be used to provide power to any machine including, but not limited to, an electric generator, an on-highway truck, an off-highway truck, an earth moving machine and so on. The engine 100 may include an engine housing 102. The engine housing 102 may include a cylinder head (not shown) and an engine block 104. The engine block 104 may include a plurality of cylinders 106.
Each of the plurality of the cylinders 106 is configured to house a piston 108. During operation of the engine 100, the piston 108 may have a translatory movement within the cylinder 106. The piston 108 may be coupled to an eye end 110 of a connecting rod 112 by a gudgeon pin 114. The connecting rod 112 is configured to convert the translatory movement of the piston 108 to a rotary movement of a crankshaft 116. A fork end 117 of the connecting rod 112 may be coupled to the crankshaft 116.
The crankshaft 116 of the engine 100 may be provided within a crankcase (not shown). The crankcase and the engine block 104 may be cast as a single unit. Alternatively, the crankcase may be cast as a separate part and later bolted to the engine block 104. The crankcase is provided below the plurality of cylinders 106. The crankcase may include a sump (not shown) provided therein. The sump may be configured to carry a lubricant, for example, oil. The lubricant is configured to lubricate various moving parts of the engine 100. In one embodiment, the sump may also serve as a collection unit for the oil transported through various parts of the engine 100.
A cooling system is provided for the engine 100. The cooling system is configured to maintain a temperature of various engine parts in order to avoid overheating of the engine parts. The cooling system may include various cooling channels provided within the engine 100. A coolant is configured to flow through the cooling channels. The coolant is configured to exchange heat with the engine parts. The coolant may be pumped into the cooling channels by a coolant pump (not shown) associated with the engine 100. The coolant may be any engine coolant known to a person of ordinary skill in the art, for example, oil. Hereinafter, the cooling channels transporting oil in the system will be referred to as oil channels.
In the illustrated embodiment, the oil channel 118 is provided on the first side 120 of the piston 108, such that the oil channel 118 is positioned near a bottom of the piston 108. In a situation wherein the engine 100 is the V-type engine, the oil channel 118 may be provided at a center of the V-type engine. Dimensions of the oil channel 118 may vary based on the application. The oil channel 118 is provided within the engine block 104 using known methods, for example, milling, casting and so on.
At least two oil nozzles are positioned at a base of the piston 108. The oil nozzles are configured to spray the oil on the piston 108. In the illustrated embodiment, the cooling system includes a first oil nozzle 124 and a second oil nozzle 126. The first and second oil nozzles 124, 126 are provided at the first and second sides 120, 122 of the piston 108 respectively. The first and second oil nozzles 124, 126 are positioned such that the oil may be sprayed onto the bottom of the piston 108 or in an oil gallery of the piston 108 from below of the piston 108. It should be noted that the number of oil nozzles may vary based on the size and power of the engine 100. For example, in a high power engine four oil nozzles may be provided in association with the piston 108.
Further, a cylinder liner 128, hereinafter referred to as liner 128 is provided within each of the cylinders 106. More particularly, the liner 128 is provided between a bore of the cylinder 106 and the piston 108. The liner 128 is provided as a replaceable sleeve in order to reduce or avoid wear of an inner wall of the respective cylinder 106. The liner 128 of the engine 100 includes an inner surface 130 and an outer surface 132. The inner and outer surfaces 130, 132 of the liner 128 define a thickness T1 of the liner 128 therebetween.
The outer surface 132 of the liner 128 includes a circumferential channel provided thereon. The circumferential channel is embodied as a groove 134. In the illustrated embodiment, the liner 128 includes a single groove 134. Alternatively, the liner 128 may include a set of grooves 134 provided in a helical pattern on the outer surface 132 of the liner 128. Further, the groove 134 is provided at a lower part 136 of the liner 128 such that the groove 134 is proximate to the oil channel 118. Further, a depth of the groove 134 is lesser than the thickness T1 of the liner 128, such that the groove 134 does not completely cut through a surface of the liner 128. In the illustrated embodiment, the depth of the groove 134 is approximately 20-30% of the thickness T1 of the liner 128. Alternatively, the depth may be approximately 50% of the thickness T1 of the liner 128.
Referring now to
The liner 128, 129 also includes a sealing member 148 provided in contact with the outer surface 132 of the liner 128, 129 and the inner wall of the cylinder 106, 107. The sealing member 148 is disposed surrounding the groove 134, 135 of the liner 128, 129 that is the sealing member 148 is provided at an upper edge and a lower edge of the groove 134, 135. In the illustrated embodiment, the sealing member 148 is disposed in the engine block 104, 105.
Alternatively, the sealing member 148 may be disposed in the liner 128, 129. The sealing member 148 is configured to reduce or control leakage of the oil flowing through the groove 134, 135 of the liner 128, 129. In one example, the sealing member 148 is an O-ring made of a rubber.
High power, high performance engines generally require at least two oil nozzles to cool the piston provided within the engine block. Each of the oil nozzles is configured to spray the coolant on the piston in order to prevent an over-heating of the piston. Further, the oil nozzles also provide lubrication to a lower part of the cylinder, thereby preventing a fretting of the cylinder. The engine block includes the oil channels provided therewithin. The oil channels are configured to supply the oil to the oil nozzles. For example, two oil channels are associated with the oil nozzles for the inline engine and three oil channels for the V-type engine respectively.
The present disclosure relates to providing the single oil channel 118 associated with each of the cylinders 106, 107 of the engine block 104, 105. Including the single oil channel 118 with respect to the piston 108 is a simpler design that is cost effective. The engine block 104, 105 disclosed herein includes the groove 134, 135 disposed about and provided in communication with the liner 128, 129 and the cylinder 106, 107. The groove 134, 135 is configured to fluidly connect the oil channels 118 and the first and second oil nozzles 124, 126.
During operation, the oil channel 118 is configured to receive the oil therewithin. The oil from the oil channel 118 flows through the passage 142 into the coolant collection chamber 138 provided at the first side 120 of the piston 108. The coolant collection chamber 138 is configured to deliver oil to the first oil nozzle 124. Accordingly, the oil received by the first oil nozzle 124 is sprayed onto the bottom of the piston 108 or in the oil gallery of the piston 108.
Further, the oil from the oil channel 118 is also configured to flow through the passage 144 and into the groove 134, 135. The oil flows through the groove 134, 135 and the passage 146 into the coolant collection chamber 140 provided on the second side 122 of the piston 108. Further, the second oil nozzle 126 is configured to spray the oil received from the oil channel 118, the passage 144, the groove 134, 135 and the passage 146 onto the bottom of the piston 108 or in the oil gallery of the piston 108.
While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14001237.8 | Apr 2014 | EP | regional |
