Surge tank

Abstract

A surge tank comprises a liquid inlet portion designed to dissipate the energy of coolant flowing into the surge tank. Desirably, fluid is delivered into a pool of liquid in an initial chamber rather than into an air gap above a pool of liquid such that the pool of liquid assists in dissipating energy of the entering coolant. Coolant from the last of a series of initial chambers desirably exits in a manner that reduces the distance air bubbles must rise to separate from the coolant. Also, when coolant flows from one initial chamber to at least one other initial chamber, desirably the direction of flow of at least a major volume of the coolant is changed, such as by locating an outlet passage from one chamber at a lower portion thereof and the passage from a subsequent chamber at an upper portion thereof. Passageways between the various chambers may be of a progressively increasing total cross-sectional area to assist in reducing the velocity of fluid flow from one chamber to the next. Also, in desirable embodiments, substantially laminar coolant flow is achieved prior to passage of coolant from an exiting chamber into a primary coolant receiving section of the surge tank.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of one example of a vehicle system incorporating a surge tank.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a surge tank in accordance with this disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the surge tank of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the surge tank of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the surge tank of FIG. 4 taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a partially broken-away vertical sectional view of one embodiment of a surge tank illustrating various fluid passageways through interior reinforcements found in the surge tank of this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 looking downwardly somewhat in comparison to the view shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a pictorial illustration of initial chambers of a surge tank in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 8 with arrows indicating a flow path of air bubble containing coolant liquid as it passes through the illustrated chambers of this exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a slightly enlarged view of the embodiment of FIG. 8 with exemplary geometries of the first three chambers of this embodiment highlighted with outlines for illustrative purposes.

Claims

1. A surge tank apparatus for receiving a flow comprising coolant from at least an engine of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: at least two chambers and a coolant reservoir, one of said chambers comprising a coolant receiving inlet for coupling to the engine to receive coolant from the engine and at least one coolant outlet from which coolant passing through the first chamber is delivered, another of said chambers comprising at least one other coolant receiving inlet for coupling to said at least one coolant outlet for receiving coolant from said at least one coolant outlet when the coolant receiving inlet is receiving coolant from the engine, said another of said chambers comprising at least one other coolant outlet from which coolant passing through said another chamber is delivered, and the coolant reservoir comprising a reservoir outlet through which coolant is returned to the engine;said at least one other coolant outlet being positioned adjacent to a top portion of the coolant reservoir; andsaid at least one coolant outlet and said at least one other coolant outlet being sized to restrict the flow of coolant through said one at said another chamber so as to cause said one chamber and said another chamber to fill with coolant when coolant is delivered to said coolant inlet from the engine.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the total cross-sectional area of all outlets from said another chamber is greater than the total cross-sectional area of all outlets from said one of said chambers.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein there is at least one intermediate chamber through which coolant passes from said one of said chambers to said other of said chambers.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said at least one other coolant inlet is located at a lower portion of said another chamber.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising at least one drain opening at a lower portion of said another chamber in communication with the coolant reservoir and at least one vent opening at an upper portion of said another chamber coupled to said one chamber through said at least one intermediate chamber.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising at least one drain opening at a lower portion of said another chamber in communication with the coolant reservoir and at least one vent opening at an upper portion of said another chamber coupled to said one chamber.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 incorporated into a land vehicle in combination with an engine and a radiator, the engine and the radiator each being coupled to at least one to coolant receiving inlet.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a common housing defining the at least two chambers and coolant reservoir therein.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the housing is comprised of plastic.

10. A surge tank apparatus for receiving a flow comprising coolant from a radiator and from an engine of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: first, second, and third chambers coupled together so as to permit the flow of coolant through said first, second and third chambers and into the coolant reservoir;the first chamber comprising at least one first chamber coolant inlet coupled to the radiator and the engine for receiving coolant from the radiator and from the engine, the first chamber comprising at least one first chamber outlet from which coolant is delivered from the first chamber;the second chamber comprising at least one second chamber inlet coupled to the at least one first chamber outlet for receiving coolant passing through the first chamber, the second chamber comprising at least one second chamber outlet from which coolant is delivered from the second chamber;the third chamber comprising at least one third chamber inlet coupled to the at least one second chamber outlet for receiving coolant passing through the second chamber, the third chamber comprising at least one third chamber outlet from which coolant is delivered from the third chamber;the coolant reservoir comprising at least one reservoir receiving inlet coupled to the at least one third chamber outlet for receiving coolant passing through the third chamber, the coolant reservoir comprising at least one reservoir outlet for coupling to the engine through which coolant is returned to the engine from the coolant reservoir;wherein the at least one first chamber outlet has a cross-sectional area sized to restrict the flow of coolant through the first chamber such that when the at least one first chamber inlet is coupled to an engine and a radiator, the first chamber and at least one first chamber inlet is filled with coolant so that coolant flows into the first chamber through the at least one first chamber coolant inlet into a pool of coolant in the first chamber; andwherein the coolant reservoir has a top portion and wherein the at least one third chamber outlet is at an upper region of the third chamber and is adjacent to the top portion of the coolant reservoir.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the first chamber comprises upper and lower first chamber portions, the apparatus comprising a first wall separating the first chamber from the second chamber, the at least one first outlet comprising at least one upper passageway and at least one lower passageway positioned respectively adjacent to the respective upper and lower first chamber portions.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the second chamber comprises upper and lower second chamber portions and the third chamber comprises upper and lower third chamber portions, the apparatus comprising a second wall separating the second chamber from the third chamber and a third wall separating the third chamber from the coolant reservoir, the at least one second outlet comprising at least one second lower passageway through the second wall and located in the lower second chamber portion, the at least one second outlet being sized for passage therethrough of at least a majority of coolant that passes from the first chamber to the second chamber when the at least one first chamber is coupled to an engine and a radiator, the at least one third outlet comprising at least one third upper passageway through the third wall and located in the upper third chamber portion, the at least one third outlet being sized for passage therethrough of at least a majority of the coolant that passes from the second chamber to the third chamber.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the majority of coolant that passes in each instance in claim 12 consists of substantially all of the coolant that passes.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the total cross-sectional area of all second outlets is greater than the total cross-sectional area all of the first outlets, and wherein the total cross-sectional area of all of the third outlets is greater than the total cross-sectional area of all of the second outlets.

15. An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the at least one third upper passageway comprises plural upper passageways.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15 further comprising at least one lower drain passageway through the third wall and located in the lower third chamber portion.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising at least one upper vent passageway through the second wall and located in the upper second chamber portion.

18. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the total cross-sectional area of all of the second outlets is greater than the total cross-sectional area of all of the first outlets and wherein the total cross-sectional area of all of the third outlets is greater than the total cross-sectional area of all of the second outlets.

19. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the at least one second outlet and the at least one third outlet are positioned such that at least a majority of the coolant flows upwardly and away from the second chamber as coolant passes through the third chamber when the at least one inlet is receiving coolant.

20. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the at least one first, at least one second and at least one third outlets are configured and positioned to provide substantially laminar flow of coolant from the at least one third outlet to the coolant reservoir.

21. An apparatus according to claim 10 comprising a common single tank housing having the first, second and third chambers and the coolant reservoir positioned therein.

22. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the first, second and third chambers are of progressively increasing volumes.

23. A method of de-aerating coolant from a radiator and engine of a vehicle comprising: filling a first chamber and another chamber with coolant;delivering coolant from the radiator and engine into the coolant within the coolant filled first chamber;passing coolant from the first chamber to the another chamber;passing coolant from the another chamber to a coolant reservoir, the act of passing coolant from the another chamber comprising delivering at least a majority of the passing coolant to the reservoir from the another chamber at a location adjacent to the top of the reservoir.

24. A method according to claim 23 comprising the act of passing coolant from the first chamber through at least one intermediate chamber to the another chamber, the act of filling also comprising the act of filling the at least one intermediate chamber.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein coolant is only passed through three flooded chambers prior to passing to the coolant reservoir.

26. A method according to claim 24 wherein the coolant is progressively less restricted as it is passed from the first chamber to a second intermediate chamber, from the second chamber to the third chamber, and from the third chamber to the reservoir.

27. A method according to claim 23 comprising the act of directing substantially all of the coolant in a direction generally upwardly and away from the first chamber as the coolant passes through the said another chamber.

28. A method according to claim 24 comprising the act of restricting the flow of coolant through each of the first, the intermediate, and the another chambers.

29. A method according to claim 23 comprising the act of providing first, second and third chambers in succession, the third chamber being said another chamber, wherein the act of passing coolant from the first chamber to the second chamber comprises passing coolant through a first upper opening and a second lower opening through a wall separating the first and second chambers, wherein the act of passing coolant from the second chamber to the third chamber comprises directing at least a majority of the coolant through a lower opening in a wall separating the second chamber from the third chamber, and wherein the act of passing coolant from the third chamber to a coolant reservoir comprises directing at least a majority of the coolant through an upper opening in a wall separating the third chamber from the coolant reservoir.

30. A method according to claim 23 comprising the act of changing the flow of coolant from turbulent flow in the first chamber to substantially laminar flow at the location where the coolant passes from the another chamber to the coolant reservoir.