System for an engine with a crankcase ventilation system and method for venting a crankcase

Abstract

System for an engine (10), comprising: a heat shield system (30), including at least one heat shield plate (32); and a crankcase ventilation system (20) including at least one breather (22), at least one outlet (24), and at least one conduit (26) extending from the at least one breather (22) to the at least one outlet (24), wherein a channel portion (46) of the at least one conduit (26) is coupled to the at least one heat shield plate (32) on the engine (10) to transfer heat directly from the heat shield system (30) to the at least one conduit (26).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to crankcases for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a crankcase ventilation system for directing and heating blowby exhaust gases for such internal combustion engines. Background.

[0002] Internal combustion engines typically include a crankcase, which provides a housing for the engine's crankshaft. During engine operation, blowby gases or exhaust gases (e.g., gaseous fuel, air, and / or combustion gases) may enter the crankcase. Blowby gases can contaminate the engine's oil lubrication system, pressurize the crankcase, and affect the engine's overall emissions. If the engine uses gaseous fuel (e.g., natural gas or landfill gas) as a fuel source, the blowby gases may also contain corrosive gases, such as sulfur. The crankcase may include a ventilation system, such as an inlet / outlet ventilation system, to remove the blowby gases from the crankcase with fresh ambient air. If the engine is used in colder environments, the ambient air used in the ventilation system may be so cold that condensate (e.g.,water). The condensate can combine with the corrosive gases, which can then form harmful acids in the crankcase.

[0003] Many crankcase ventilation systems include piping that carries blowby gases from one point to another. Blowby gases often have low thermal energy, a significant amount of water vapor contained within the blowby gases, and a high dew point temperature. Thus, controlling the temperature of the blowby gas can help minimize condensation, the formation of an oil-water emulsion, the freezing of water or other liquids, and other problems in the piping, especially in colder environments. Many crankcase ventilation systems utilize low-thermal-conductivity piping materials, insulation, and / or auxiliary heaters to minimize these potential problems.In addition, with lines that conduct blowby exhaust gases horizontally and / or vertically, there is a risk that condensate water will flow back into the crankcase or otherwise against the flow of the blowby gas and, for example, contaminate the engine's lubricating oil.

[0004] Japanese Patent No. JP 6 476 907 B2 ("the '907 patent"), granted on March 6, 2019, describes a ventilation system for a crankcase of an internal combustion engine. The '907 patent discloses a blowby gas tube antifreeze structure including a series of tubes for guiding the blowby gas. The blowby gas tube antifreeze structure also includes a heat absorption channel for heating the blowby gas, wherein the heat absorption channel is arranged in a cylinder head cover. The tubes of the blowby gas tube antifreeze structure are coupled to the heat absorption channel, so that the blowby gases in the tubes of the blowby gas tube antifreeze structure flow through the heat absorption channel, heating the gases and helping to prevent the gases from freezing.However, the blowby gas tube antifreeze structure design of the '907 patent requires routing blowby gas tubes through a connection to the cylinder head cover, which may interfere with other components of the engine, require routing additional tubes to and from the cylinder head cover, or may otherwise interfere with the use or operation of the engine.

[0005] Furthermore, US 2006 / 0 162 325 A1 discloses an engine blowby injection nozzle, an injection system and methods for blowby injection.

[0006] DE 102 24 964 A1 teaches a heat distribution arrangement for crankcase forced ventilation (PVC) with a heat pipe having one end connected to a heat source, such as the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. The heat pipe is in thermal contact with one or more components of the PVC system, such as the PVC valve or a line.

[0007] Furthermore, DE 35 42 900 C2 teaches a crankcase ventilation system for a V-engine.

[0008] The systems and methods of the present disclosure may solve one or more of the problems listed above and / or other problems of the prior art. The scope of the current disclosure is defined by the appended claims. Brief description

[0009] The object of the present invention is achieved by a system for an engine according to claim 1 and by a method for venting a crankcase according to claim 9. The subclaims relate to preferred embodiments of the invention. Short description of the drawings

[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various exemplary embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an internal combustion engine having an exemplary crankcase ventilation system, according to aspects of the disclosure. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a blow-by exhaust gas disposal system of the internal combustion engine of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the blow-by exhaust disposal system coupled to a portion of a heat shield system separated from the remainder of the internal combustion engine of Fig. 1 is isolated. Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B illustrate various views of a portion of the blowby exhaust disposal system and a portion of a heat shield system. Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for coupling portions of venting and heat shield systems to the internal combustion engine of Fig. 1 shows. Detailed description

[0011] Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and do not limit the features as claimed. As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "having," "including," or other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion such that a process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a list of elements does not only include those elements, but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent in such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, relative terms such as "about," "substantially," "generally," or "approximately" are used to indicate a possible deviation of ±10% from a stated value.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an internal combustion engine 10 with an exemplary crankcase ventilation system 20, according to aspects of the disclosure. The engine 10 may be a stationary engine. As used herein, a "stationary engine" may be an engine with a frame that does not move. Stationary engines may be used to power immobile equipment such as pumps, generators, mills, or factory equipment. In one embodiment, the engine 10 may be used in landfill applications for power generation. As such, the engine 10 may be powered by gaseous fuel. The term "gaseous fuel" as used herein may include a fuel supplied to the engine 10 in gaseous form. Gaseous fuels may include, for example, natural gas, propane, biogas, landfill gas, associated petroleum gas, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, or mixtures thereof.In an exemplary embodiment, the gaseous fuel may be a natural gas, such as associated petroleum gas. Natural gas is an exemplary gaseous fuel with various degrees of purity. As used herein, "natural gas" refers to both pure and relatively impure forms with varying amounts of methane and other components. Further, "associated petroleum gas," as used herein, is any form of natural gas, including petroleum deposits. Although the exemplary embodiment is directed toward stationary engines, the engine 10 may also be used in mobile (i.e., non-stationary) applications and may utilize any type of fuel.

[0013] As in Fig. 1, the engine 10 includes a frame 12. The frame 12 may support various components of the engine 10, such as a crankcase 14, an engine block 16, and one or more cylinder heads 18 for one or more cylinders (not shown). The engine 10 may include any number of cylinders configured in any configuration, such as an inline engine, a radial engine, a V-engine, or any other configuration known in the art. The frame 12 may further support a fuel system, an air system, a cooling system, a turbocharger, or other conventional engine components. In addition, the engine 10 includes a crankcase ventilation system 20. The crankcase ventilation system 20 includes at least one breather 22 and at least one outlet 24. The at least one breather 22 may be connected to the outlet 24 via one or more conduits 26.The at least one breather 22 may include an inlet portion and an outlet portion. The inlet portion may communicate with the crankcase 14 and, for example, draw in ambient air to remove blowby gases or exhaust gases from the crankcase 14. The outlet portion may be coupled to the conduit 26 for removing the blowby gases or otherwise divert the blowby gases from the engine 10. As explained below, a plurality of conduits 26 may connect a breather 22 to the outlet 24, and the outlet 24 may be disposed above (e.g., relative to gravity) the at least one breather 22, for example, to direct blowby exhaust gases upward and away from the engine 10.

[0014] During operation of the engine 10, blowby gases may enter the crankcase 14. As used herein, "blowby" gases or exhaust gases may include the escape of air, fuel, combustion gases, and / or a mixture thereof between a piston (not shown) and a cylinder wall of one or more cylinders into the crankcase 14. When using gaseous fuel as the fuel source for the engine 10, the blowby gases may include, for example, sulfur or the like. The crankcase 14 may include a crankcase ventilation system 20 that may be configured to remove the blowby gases from the crankcase 14. The crankcase ventilation system 20 may be an inlet / outlet ventilation system for exhausting blowby gases from the crankcase 14. In one embodiment, the crankcase ventilation system 20 may be a non-ingestive ventilation system.As used herein, a "non-ingestive ventilation system" vents blowby gases from the engine (e.g., to the atmosphere). Thus, crankcase ventilation system 20 may include an inlet for directing ambient air into crankcase 14 and an outlet 24 for venting blowby gases from crankcase 14 and from engine 10 to the atmosphere. Although not shown, crankcase ventilation system 20 may include one or more pumps, fans, etc., to direct air, blowby gases, etc., from the inlet to outlet 24. Thus, the vented blowby gases cannot be recycled back into the combustion process of engine 10. Outlet 24 or one or more portions of conduits 26 may include a filtration system for filtering the blowby gases before exiting outlet 24. It is understood that the crankcase ventilation system 20 may include any number of inlets and / or outlets as desired.

[0015] Engine 10 also includes a heat shield system 30 having at least one heat shield plate 32. Heat shield system 30 may help insulate engine 10, for example, during operation in cold environments, and / or dissipate heat from one or more portions of engine 10 to prevent overheating. Although not labeled, heat shield system 30 may include additional heat shield sections, for example, around one or more portions of engine 10 to form a larger heat shield or insulation system that helps insulate engine 10 and retain heat, particularly in colder environments. As shown in Fig. 1, at least a portion of the one or more leads 26 may be at least partially directly attached to, integrated with, enclosed within, surrounded by, in abutting contact with, or otherwise coupled to a portion of the at least one heat shield plate 32. One or more portions of the heat shield system 30, for example, the heat shield plate 32, may be formed from a hard, insulating material, such as a steel (e.g., stainless steel), aluminum, ceramic, etc.

[0016] Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the engine 10 (i.e., from the right side of Fig. 1). Fig. 2 illustrates portions of the crankcase ventilation system 20 and the heat shield system 30 coupled to the engine 10. As in Fig. 2, the engine 10 may, for example, include two breathers 22 disposed on opposite sides of the engine 10 (e.g., relative to a longitudinal axis). Each breather 22 may be coupled to a corresponding conduit 26. Additionally, the heat shield system 30 may include two heat shield plates 32. Each conduit 26 may be at least partially directly attached to, integrated with, enclosed within, surrounded by, in contact with, or otherwise coupled to a portion of the respective at least one heat shield plate 32. However, it should be appreciated that the crankcase ventilation system 20 and the heat shield system 30 may include more than two conduits 26 and heat shield plates 32, respectively, if the engine 10 includes more than two breathers 22. In one aspect, the engine 10 may, for example, include sixteen breathers 22, such as eight breathers 22 on each side of the engine 10.In this aspect, the engine 10 may include 16 conduits 26 coupling each breather 22 to the outlet 24, with portions of each of the conduits 26 coupled to one or more heat shield plates.

[0017] Additionally, the conduits 26 may be coupled to an exhaust conduit 40. For example, the exhaust conduit 40 may include a bifurcated section 42 with two inlets to be coupled to portions of the respective conduits 26. The exhaust conduit 40 also includes the outlet 24, which may, for example, form an endpoint to be coupled to an exhaust pipe, an exhaust hose, or other conduit for discharging blowby exhaust gases from the engine 10. It should be noted that if the crankcase ventilation system 20 includes more than two conduits 26, the exhaust conduit 40 may include more than two inlets, formed, for example, by a bifurcated section with more than two branches, a plurality of bifurcated sections, etc.

[0018] As in Fig. 2, the conduits 26 may each include one or more portions or sections. For example, the conduits 26 may each include a first conduit portion 44, a channel portion 46, and a second conduit portion 48. A first end of the first conduit portion 44 may be coupled to the vent 22, and a second end of the first conduit portion 44 may be coupled to a first end of the channel portion 46. As noted, a portion of the channel portion 46 may be at least partially directly attached to, integrated with, enclosed within, surrounded by, in abutting contact with, or otherwise coupled to a portion of the heat shield plate 32. A second end of the channel portion 46 may be coupled to a first end of the second conduit portion 48.A second end of the second conduit section 48 may then be coupled to the outlet conduit 40, for example, to an inlet of the bifurcated portion 42 of the outlet conduit 40. The first conduit section 44 and the second conduit section 48 may be formed by hoses, tubes, or other suitable elements for fluidly coupling the vents 22 to the outlet conduit 40. Furthermore, the channel section 46 may be formed from sheet metal, conduits, or other suitable elements. In these aspects, the conduits 26 may direct the blowby exhaust gases from the vents 22 to the outlet conduit 40 and to the outlet 24. Additionally, although not shown, the connections between the vents 22, the portions of the conduits 26, and the outlet conduit 40 may include one or more threads, gaskets, clamps, etc., to couple the respective components and prevent the escape of blow-by exhaust gases.

[0019] Fig. 3 illustrates portions of the crankcase ventilation system 20 and the heat shield system 30 that are separate from the rest of the engine. In this aspect, one or more portions of the crankcase ventilation system 20 and the heat shield system 30 may be modular and coupled to the engine. As shown, the conduits 26, for example, the first conduit portions 44, may be coupled to the breathers 22. The first conduit portions 44 may be coupled to the channel portions 46, which in turn may be coupled to the second conduit portions (not shown). Additionally, the channel portions 46 may be at least partially directly attached to, integrated with, enclosed within, surrounded by, in abutting contact with, or otherwise coupled to a portion of the respective at least one heat shield plate 32.The channel sections 46 may, for example, each include channel outlets 50 which are connected to the respective inlets of the second line section 48 (. Fig. 2) are to be coupled.

[0020] Fig. 4A illustrates a perspective view of the heat shield plate 32 and the channel portion 46 of the conduit coupled into a single combined component 60, for example. Fig. 4B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the combined component 60, including the heat shield plate 32 and the duct section 46. As shown, the duct section 46 may include a duct outlet 50 and a duct inlet 52. The duct inlet 52 may be coupled to an outlet of the first conduit section 44 ( Fig. 2 and Fig. 3). Although not shown, the duct outlet 50 and the duct inlet 52 may each include, for example, a thread, one or more seals, one or more clamps, etc., to securely couple the conduit sections 44 and 48 to the duct outlet 50 and the duct inlet 52.

[0021] For example, the channel portion 46 may include one or more sections or segments arranged at an angle to one another. In this aspect, a first portion 62 of the channel portion 46 may be approximately vertical with respect to a vertical axis of the engine 10. A second portion 64 of the channel portion 46 may be at an angle to the first portion 62, for example, at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. A third portion 66 of the channel portion 46 may be approximately horizontal, for example, approximately 45 degrees relative to the second portion 64.

[0022] The heat shield plate 32 may also include one or more sections or segments that are, for example, arranged at angles to one another. Additionally, the heat shield plate 32 may be sized and / or shaped for coupling to an exterior of the engine 10. For example, the heat shield plate 32 may include a plurality of sections that are arranged at an angle relative to adjacent sections. In this aspect, the heat shield plate 32 may include a first section 70 that may be arranged at an angle (e.g., about 45 degrees) relative to a vertical axis, for example, relative to the vertical axis of the engine 10. The heat shield plate 32 may include a second section 72 that may be at an angle to the first section 70, for example, at an angle of about 45 degrees. The second section 72 may be approximately vertical.The heat shield plate 32 may also include a third portion 74 that may be at an angle to the second portion 72, for example, at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Furthermore, the heat shield plate 32 may also include a fourth portion 76 that may be at an angle to the third portion 74, for example, at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. In this aspect, the fourth portion 76 may be approximately horizontal. Furthermore, one or more portions of the heat shield plate 32 may include bores 80 for receiving screws, bolts, etc., to couple the heat shield plate 32 to other portions of the heat shield system 30 or to other portions of the engine 10.

[0023] As in Fig. 4B, the passage through the interior portion of the duct portion 46 is formed by the exterior walls of the duct portion 46 and an exterior surface of the heat shield plate 32. In particular, the portion of the conduit 26 formed by the duct portion 46 does not include a pipe or tube within the duct portion 46. Additionally, one or more portions of the heat shield plate 32 may form one or more walls of the passage through the duct portion 46. In this aspect, the walls of the duct portion may be directly attached to, integrally formed with, in abutting contact with, or otherwise coupled to the heat shield plate 32. Furthermore, the portion of the heat shield plate 32 forming a portion of the passage through the duct portion 46 may be substantially planar. In this aspect, the heat shield plate 32 may form a planar surface area over which air, blow-by exhaust, etc., may directly flow.The flat surface of the heat shield plate 32 can help form a large contact area, for example, to transfer heat from the heat shield plate 32 to the air, blowby exhaust gases, etc. As previously mentioned, the transfer of heat from the heat shield plate 32 to the air, blowby exhaust gases, etc. can help prevent the formation of condensation, the formation of an oil-water emulsion, the freezing of water or other liquids, and other problems in the lines 26.

[0024] The heat shield plate 32 and the duct section 46 may be coupled together (e.g., via one or more screws, bolts, welds, adhesives, etc.) or formed integrally. In addition, the heat shield plate 32 may also transfer heat to the other walls of the duct section 46, which in turn may transfer heat to the air flowing through the duct section 46, blowby exhaust gases, etc. In another aspect, a conduit, pipe, etc. (not shown) may connect the duct inlet 52 and the duct outlet 50 inside the duct section 46. In any of these aspects, blowby exhaust gases or other gases flowing through the duct section 46 may be heated by heat from the engine 10 that is retained or dissipated by the heat shield plate 32 and the rest of the heat shield system 30.Furthermore, the size and / or shape of the heat shield plate 32 and the duct portion 46, and thus the combined component 60, may be configured to couple the heat shield plate 32 and the duct portion 46 to one or more portions of the engine 10, for example, by retrofitting portions of the crankcase ventilation system 20 and the heat shield system 30 to the engine 10.

[0025] With reference to Fig. 5, a method 500 may be performed for coupling the aforementioned portions of the crankcase ventilation system 20 and at least a portion of the heat shield system 30 to the engine 10. The method 500 may be performed, for example, to direct the blowby exhaust gases from the breathers 22, for example, via the outlet 24, away from the engine 10, while simultaneously heating the conduits 26 and the blowby exhaust gases in the conduits 26.

[0026] A first step 502 includes coupling the first conduit sections 44 to the breathers 22 of the engine 10. As mentioned, coupling the first conduit sections 44 to the breathers 22 may include one or more seals, one or more clamps, etc. In this aspect, the blowby exhaust gases from the breathers 22 may be directed into the first conduit sections 44.

[0027] Thereafter, a step 504 includes coupling the combined components 60, including the duct sections 46 and the heat shield plates 32, to the engine 10. For example, one or more screws, bolts, etc., may be inserted through the bores 80 and into the coupling sections of the engine 10 to couple each combined component 60, including the duct section 46 and the heat shield plate 32, to the engine 10. If the duct section 46 and the heat shield plate 32 are not integrally formed, step 504 may further include coupling the duct section 46 to the heat shield plate 32, for example, via one or more screws, bolts, welds, adhesives, etc. Alternatively, as discussed above, the duct section 46 and the heat shield plate 32 may be integrally formed.

[0028] A step 506 involves coupling the first conduit sections 44 to the duct sections 46, for example, to the duct inlet 52 of the combined components 60. For example, the first conduit sections 44 may be flexible if the duct sections 46 are attached to the engine 10. Alternatively or additionally, steps 504 and 506 may also be performed simultaneously. As mentioned, coupling the first conduit sections 44 to the duct sections 46 may include one or more seals, one or more clamps, etc. In this aspect, the blowby exhaust gases from the breathers 22 may be directed into the first conduit sections 44 and into the duct sections 46. A next step 508 involves coupling the second conduit sections 48 to the duct sections 46, for example, to the duct outlet 50.As mentioned, coupling the second conduit sections 48 to the channel sections 46 may include one or more seals, one or more clamps, etc. In this aspect, the blowby exhaust gases from the vents 22 may be directed into the first conduit sections 44, the channel sections 46, and the second conduit sections 48.

[0029] A step 510 includes coupling the exhaust conduit 40 to the second conduit sections 48. For example, the second conduit sections 48 may be flexible if the exhaust conduit 40 is attached to the engine 10. Alternatively or additionally, steps 508 and 510 may be performed simultaneously. For example, the bifurcated section 42 of the exhaust conduit 40 may be coupled to the outlet ends of the second conduit sections 48. Coupling the exhaust conduit 40 to the conduit sections 48 may include one or more seals, one or more clamps, etc. In this aspect, the blowby exhaust gases from the breathers 22 may be directed into the first conduit sections 44, the duct sections 46, the second conduit sections 48, and the exhaust conduit 40.

[0030] Optionally, a step 512 includes coupling an exhaust hose or conduit to the outlet 24 of the exhaust conduit 40 to further direct the blowby exhaust gases away from the engine 10. Coupling the exhaust hose or conduit to the outlet 24 may include one or more seals, one or more clamps, etc. In this aspect, blowby exhaust gases from the breathers 22 may be directed into first conduit portions 44, into duct portions 46, into second conduit portions 48, into the outlet conduit 40, out of the outlet 24, and into the exhaust hose or conduit to be directed away from the engine 10. Furthermore, it should be noted that steps 502-510 and optionally step 512 may be performed in any order to form a flow path for blowby exhaust gases from the breathers 22 to the outlet 24. Commercial applicability

[0031] The disclosed crankcase ventilation system 20 and heat shield system 30 of the present disclosure may be used with a crankcase 14 of any internal combustion engine 10. As discussed above, in some aspects, the crankcase ventilation system 20 and heat shield system 30 may be used with the crankcase 14 of a stationary engine. Additionally, the crankcase ventilation system 20 includes one or more conduits 26 for venting blowby gas from the engine 10. Portions of the one or more conduits 26 are at least partially directly attached to, integrated with, enclosed within, surrounded by, in abutting contact with, or otherwise coupled to one or more portions of the heat shield system 30, such as the heat shield plate 32.

[0032] Coupling sections of the one or more conduits 26 to one or more sections of the heat shield system 30 can provide simple routing for blowby exhaust gases, for example, from breathers 22. The conduits 26 do not require a separate support system. The conduits 26 and the heat shield plates 32 can be modular components (e.g., the combined component 60) that can be coupled to sections of the engine 10 as needed. Furthermore, there is no need for an operator to install additional hoses or pipes to route the blowby exhaust gases from the breathers 22 to the outlet 24, which could increase the number of components of the engine 10, interfere with other components or systems of the engine 10, require knowledge of the operation of the engine 10, negatively impact the overall appearance of the engine 10, etc.The crankcase ventilation system 20 is disposed adjacent to the engine 10, so other engine components (e.g., other pipes, hoses, etc.) are also less likely to interfere with the crankcase ventilation system 20. In addition, coupling portions of the one or more conduits 26 to one or more portions of the heat shield system 30 may help warm the blowby exhaust gases in the conduits 26. As discussed above, for engines operating in colder environments, the ambient air used in the ventilation system may be so cold that condensate (e.g., water) may form in the crankcase. The condensate may combine with the corrosive gases, which may then form harmful acids in the crankcase. The conduits 26, including the conduit portions 46, are coupled to portions of the heat shield system 30, such as the heat shield plates 32.Accordingly, the heat of the engine 10 dissipated via the heat shield system 30 may also be dissipated via the duct sections 46 and help heat the conduits 26 and the air, blowby exhaust, etc., in the conduits 26 without the need for additional insulation, heat sources, etc. As a result, the aspects of the engine 10 discussed herein may help reduce the temperature loss of air, blowby exhaust, etc., in the conduits 26, which may reduce the risk of condensate forming in the conduits 26, the formation of an oil-water emulsion in the conduits 26, and / or the freezing of fluid in the conduits 26.

[0033] Furthermore, the length or size of the duct section 46 can be adjusted (e.g., lengthened or shortened) to control the exposure of the blowby exhaust gases to the heat of the heat shield system 30. For example, a longer duct section 46 may heat the blowby exhaust gases in the crankcase ventilation system 20 more than a shorter duct section 46. In this aspect, the heating of the blowby exhaust gases can be controlled by the heat stored in the heat shield system 30 without the need for additional insulation, heat sources, etc.

[0034] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made to the disclosed system without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

[1] System for an engine (10), comprising: a heat shield system (30), including at least one heat shield plate (32); and a crankcase ventilation system (20) including at least one breather (22), at least one outlet (24), and at least one conduit (26) extending from the at least one breather (22) to the at least one outlet (24), wherein a channel portion (46) of the at least one conduit (26) is coupled to the at least one heat shield plate (32) on the engine (10) to transfer heat directly from the heat shield system (30) to the at least one conduit (26). [2] The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one conduit (26) includes a first portion (44), the channel portion (46), and a second portion (48), the channel portion (46) being coupled to the at least one heat shield plate (32) such that the at least one heat shield plate (32) forms a wall of the channel portion (46) such that air flowing through the channel portion (46) contacts the at least one heat shield plate (32). [3] The system of claim 2, wherein the channel portion (46) includes a first portion (62), a second portion (64) at an angle relative to the first portion (62), and a third portion (66) at an angle to the second portion (64). [4] The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one heat shield plate (32) includes a plurality of sections (70, 72, 74, 76) adjacent to the first, second and third sections (62, 64, 66) of the channel section (46), and wherein the plurality of sections (70, 72, 74, 76) of the at least one heat shield plate (32) form planar walls of the channel section (46). [5] The system of claim 2, wherein the channel portion (46) is formed integrally with the at least one heat shield plate (32). [6] The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes two breathers (22) arranged on opposite sides of the engine (10), and wherein lines (26) extend from each of the two breathers (22). [7] System according to claim 6, wherein the two lines (26) are coupled to an outlet line (40) via a bifurcated section (42) of the outlet line (40). [8] The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one outlet (24) is arranged above the at least one vent (22). [9] Method for venting a crankcase (14) of an internal combustion engine (10), comprising: coupling an inlet of a first portion (44) of a conduit (26) to a breather (22) of the crankcase (14); coupling a channel section (46) of the conduit (26) to a heat shield plate (32) on the engine (10) such that a section of the heat shield plate (32) forms a flat wall of the channel section (46); coupling an outlet (24) of the first portion (44) of the conduit (26) to an inlet of the channel portion (46) of the conduit (26); coupling an outlet (24) of the channel portion (46) of the conduit (26) to an inlet of a second portion (48) of the conduit (26); and Coupling an outlet (24) of the second section (48) of the conduit (48) to an outlet conduit (40) such that blowby exhaust gases from the breather (22) are conducted through the first section (44) of the conduit (26), the channel section (46) of the conduit (26), the second section (48) of the conduit (26) and the outlet conduit (40), wherein the blowby exhaust gases in the channel section (46) of the conduit (26) are heated by the heat dissipated by the heat shield plate (32). [10] The method of claim 9, further comprising: Coupling an exhaust hose to an outlet (24) of the outlet line (40).

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