Engine

Abstract

To provide a technique appropriate for an engine including an intercooler.SOLUTION: An illustrative engine includes a cylinder row, a supercharger, and the intercooler connected to the supercharger, the intercooler having a cooling liquid flow path in which cooling liquid flows, and an intake flow path in which intake air from the supercharger flows, the cooling liquid flow path having an inlet and an outlet for the cooling liquid on one side in a first direction along the flow of the cooling liquid, the intake flow path having an inlet for intake air on one side in a second direction along the flow of the intake air, and an outlet for the intake air on the other side, the first direction being a horizontal direction perpendicular to a crank shaft direction in plan view from a vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an engine.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a V-type engine having an intercooler is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The V-type engine disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a pair of banks. And, an intercooler is disposed above the cylinder head of each bank.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] If a configuration is adopted in which an intercooler is provided for each of a pair of banks, for example, there is a concern that an increase in the number of parts may cause an increase in cost or an increase in the size of the engine. Further, in a configuration in which an intercooler is provided for each of a pair of banks, for example, a difference is likely to occur in the flow rate or flow velocity of the coolant between the two intercoolers, and a difference in cooling performance may occur between the banks.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique suitable for an engine provided with an intercooler.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An exemplary engine of the present invention includes a cylinder bank, a supercharger, and an intercooler connected to the supercharger. The intercooler has a coolant flow path through which a coolant flows and an intake air flow path through which intake air from the supercharger flows. The coolant flow path has an inlet and an outlet of the coolant on one side in a first direction along the flow of the coolant, and the intake air flow path has an inlet of the intake air on one side in a second direction along the flow of the intake air and an outlet of the intake air on the other side. The first direction is a left-right direction orthogonal to the crankshaft direction in a plan view from the vertical direction.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a technique suitable for an engine equipped with an intercooler can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, an XYZ coordinate system is shown as a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system as appropriate. In the following description, the X direction is the front-rear direction, the Y direction is the left-right direction, and the Z direction is the up-down direction. Note that the +X side is the front side and the -X side is the rear side. The +Y side is the right side and the -Y side is the left side. The +Z side is the upper side and the -Z side is the lower side. Specifically, the direction in which the center line C of the crankshaft (output shaft) shown in FIG. 1 extends is defined as the front-rear direction, and the side on which the flywheel 2 is arranged with respect to the cylinder block 1 is defined as the rear side. Also, the side on which the oil pan 3 is arranged with respect to the cylinder block 1 is defined as the lower side to define the up-down direction. The direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction and the up-down direction is defined as the left-right direction, and the side that becomes the right when viewed from the rear to the front is defined as the right side, and the side that becomes the left is defined as the left side. Note that these directions are merely names used for explanation and are not intended to limit the actual positional relationship and direction. Also, in this specification, the crankshaft direction is the same as the front-rear direction in which the center line C of the crankshaft extends.

[0010] <1. Overview of the Engine> FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of an engine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The engine 100 is suitable as a marine engine used in, for example, a ship. However, the engine 100 is not limited to a marine engine and may be applied to other uses. Note that the engine 100 is a diesel engine.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the engine 100 includes a cylinder block 1, a head block 4, and a head cover 5. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an extraction of the portion composed of the cylinder block 1, the head block 4, and the head cover 5 included in the engine 100. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cylinder block 1 portion included in the engine 100.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, inside the cylinder block 1, a crankshaft 6 and a piston 7 extending in the front-rear direction are arranged. The inside of the cylinder block 1 is connected to the inside of an oil pan 3 that stores lubricating oil arranged on the lower side. A flywheel 2 (see FIG. 1) is attached to the rear end of the crankshaft 6. The flywheel 2 rotates integrally with the crankshaft 6 and is used to extract the power of the engine 100. The piston 7 is specifically arranged inside a cylinder 11 formed in the cylinder block 1. The piston 7 is connected to the crankshaft 6 via a connecting rod 71.

[0013] Specifically, the cylinder block 1 has a right cylinder 11R arranged on the right side and a left cylinder 11L arranged on the left side. The right cylinder 11R is cylindrical and extends in an oblique direction, inclined to the right with respect to the vertical direction when viewed from the rear. The left cylinder 11L is cylindrical and extends in an oblique direction, inclined to the left with respect to the vertical direction when viewed from the rear. The right cylinder 11R and the left cylinder 11L are arranged in a V shape. Note that the pair of right cylinder 11R and left cylinder 11L arranged in a V shape have their cylinder axes slightly offset in the front-rear direction. In the present embodiment, the left cylinder 11L is arranged slightly forward with respect to the right cylinder 11R.

[0014] The cylinder block 1 has a right cylinder bank 111R in which a plurality of right cylinders 11R are arranged in the front-rear direction, and a left cylinder bank 111L in which a plurality of left cylinders 11L are arranged in the front-rear direction. That is, the engine 100 includes two cylinder banks 111R and 111L. Each of the two cylinder banks 111R and 111L extends in a row in the crankshaft direction. The two cylinder banks 111R and 111L are arranged side by side with each other. Note that the two cylinder banks 111R and 111L are arranged side by side in the left-right direction in detail. The right cylinder bank 111R and the left cylinder bank 111L form a V-shaped bank. In the present embodiment, as an example, the number of right cylinders 11R constituting the right cylinder bank 111R and the number of left cylinders 11L constituting the left cylinder bank 111L are both six. That is, the engine 100 of the present embodiment is a V-type 12-cylinder engine.

[0015] In each of the right cylinder bank 111R and the left cylinder bank 111L, a head block 4 is disposed on top of each cylinder 11. The head block 4 is fastened to the cylinder block 1 using bolts. In detail, the head block 4 includes a right head block 4R that is placed on top of the right cylinder 11R and a left head block 4L that is placed on top of the left cylinder 11L. Since one right head block 4R is placed on top of each right cylinder 11R, there are as many right head blocks 4R as the number of right cylinders 11R. Since one left head block 4L is placed on top of each left cylinder 11L, there are as many left head blocks 4L as the number of left cylinders 11L. In the present embodiment, the number of both the right head block 4R and the left head block 4L is six.

[0016] Each head block 4 has an intake port 41 for supplying gas to a combustion chamber formed by the cylinder 11, the piston 7, and the head block 4, and an exhaust port (not shown) for exhausting gas from the combustion chamber. Note that the exhaust port is provided on a surface opposite to the surface where the intake port 41 is provided. In detail, the right head block 4R has the intake port 41 on the left side surface and has an exhaust port on the right side surface. The left head block 4L has the intake port 41 on the right side surface and has an exhaust port on the left side surface.

[0017] A head cover 5 is placed over each head block 4. The head cover 5 is fastened to the head block 4 using screws. Each head cover 5 covers an intake valve and an exhaust valve (not shown) disposed in the head block 4. An injector 8 is attached to each head cover 5. One end of the injector 8 where an injection port for injecting fuel is provided faces the combustion chamber. The other end of the injector 8 protrudes outward from the head cover 5.

[0018] Specifically, the head cover 5 includes a right head cover 5R that covers the right head block 4R and a left head cover 5L that covers the left head block 4L. The right head cover 5R exists in the same number as the number of right head blocks 4R in order to cover each right head block 4R. The left head cover 5L exists in the same number as the number of left head blocks 4L in order to cover each left head block 4L. In the present embodiment, the number of both the right head cover 5R and the left head cover 5L is six. Incidentally, the number of the right injector 8R disposed in the right head cover 5R and the number of the left injector 8L disposed in the left head cover 5L are also six each.

[0019] On the right side of the cylinder block 1, the right cylinder 11R, the right head block 4R, and the right head cover 5R that constitute the right bank RB extend obliquely upward to the right. Also, on the left side of the cylinder block 1, the left cylinder 11L, the left head block 4L, and the left head cover 5L that constitute the left bank LB extend obliquely upward to the left. In a plan view from the front-rear direction, the right bank RB and the left bank LB are V-shaped, and the engine 100 has a V bank. An in-bank area 200 is formed between the right bank RB and the left bank LB in the left-right direction.

[0020] Returning to FIG. 1, the engine 100 includes an upper cover 9 and side covers 10. The upper cover 9 prevents water from splashing onto, for example, a controller 26 (see FIG. 4 and the like described later) disposed inside due to condensation or the like. The side cover 10 prevents fuel from scattering due to, for example, cracks in components such as the head block 4. Although only the side cover 10 disposed on the right side is shown in FIG. 1, a similar side cover 10 is also disposed on the left side. That is, the engine 100 includes a pair of left and right side covers 10.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a schematic top view showing the configuration of the engine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, the upper cover 9 and the pair of side covers 10 are omitted. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the engine 100 includes an intake manifold 21 and an exhaust manifold 22.

[0022] The intake manifold 21 distributes intake air, which is air or a mixture sucked in from the outside, to each cylinder 11. The intake manifold 21 is disposed at the upper part of the engine 100 and extends in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the intake manifold 21 includes a right intake manifold 21R for the right cylinder 11R and a left intake manifold 21L for the left cylinder 11L. That is, the engine 100 includes two intake manifolds 21R and 21L.

[0023] The right intake manifold 21R is disposed above the intake ports 41 (see FIG. 2) of a plurality of right head blocks 4R arranged in the front-rear direction. The inside of the right intake manifold 21R and each right cylinder 11R are connected via each intake port 41. The left intake manifold 21L is disposed above the intake ports 41 of a plurality of left head blocks 4L arranged in the front-rear direction. The inside of the left intake manifold 21L and each left cylinder 11L are connected via each intake port 41.

[0024] Specifically, an intake valve (not shown) is interposed between each intake port 41 and each cylinder 11, and when the intake valve is open, the inside of the intake manifold 21 and the cylinder 11 communicate with each other.

[0025] The exhaust manifold 22 aggregates the exhaust from each cylinder 11. The exhaust manifold 22 is disposed on the side surface portion of the engine 100 and extends in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the exhaust manifold 22 includes a right exhaust manifold 22R for the right cylinder 11R and a left exhaust manifold 22L for the left cylinder 11L.

[0026] The right exhaust manifold 22R is disposed on the right side of a plurality of right head blocks 4R (see FIG. 2) arranged in the front-rear direction. The interior of the right exhaust manifold 22R and each right cylinder 11R are connected via an exhaust port (not shown) provided on the right side of the right head block 4R. The left exhaust manifold 22L is disposed on the left side of a plurality of left head blocks 4L (see FIG. 2) arranged in the front-rear direction. The interior of the left exhaust manifold 22L and each left cylinder 11L are connected via an exhaust port (not shown) provided on the left side of the left head block 4L.

[0027] Specifically, an exhaust valve (not shown) is interposed between each exhaust port and each cylinder 11, and when the exhaust valve is in an open state, the interior of the exhaust manifold 22 and the cylinder 11 communicate with each other.

[0028] The exhaust gas aggregated in the right exhaust manifold 22R is all exhausted to the outside through a right supercharger 23R and a right exhaust outlet pipe 24R disposed at the right rear of the engine 100. The exhaust gas aggregated in the left exhaust manifold 22L is all exhausted to the outside through a left supercharger 23L and a left exhaust outlet pipe 24L disposed at the left rear of the engine 100. That is, the engine 100 is provided with a supercharger 23.

[0029] The right supercharger 23R and the left supercharger 23L both have a compressor section 231 and a turbine section 232. The compressor section 231 pressurizes and compresses intake air such as air supplied from outside the engine 100. The pressurized and compressed intake air is supplied to the intake manifold 21 via the intercooler 25. The turbine section 232 is rotated by the exhaust gas supplied from the exhaust manifold 22. The rotational power of the turbine section 232 is transmitted to the compressor section 231. That is, the right supercharger 23R and the left supercharger 23L of the present embodiment are so-called turbochargers that use an exhaust gas turbine as a drive source.

[0030] The intercooler 25 connected to the intake manifold 21 is supplied with cooling water by a cooling water pump (not shown) and cools the intake air. The intake air supplied from the compressor section 231 generates compression heat and its temperature rises due to being pressurized and compressed. The intercooler 25 cools the intake air by performing heat exchange between the cooling water supplied from the cooling water pump and the pressurized and compressed intake air. That is, by providing the intercooler 25, the temperature of the intake air supplied to the intake manifold 21 can be adjusted to a desired temperature.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 4, the right intake manifold 21R and the left intake manifold 21L are arranged side by side with a space therebetween in the left-right direction at the upper part of the engine 100. As shown in FIG. 4, in a state where the upper surface cover 9 is removed, the in-bank area 200 is exposed to the outside through the space between the right intake manifold 21R and the left intake manifold 21L. In the in-bank area 200, for example, a controller 26 that controls the entire engine 100, a fuel pump 27 that supplies fuel to the injector 8, etc. are arranged.

[0032] That is, the engine 100 includes a controller 26 disposed in a bank-in area 200 located between a right cylinder bank 111R and a left cylinder bank 111L. Further, the engine 100 includes a fuel pump 27 disposed in the bank-in area 200. Note that the bank-in area 200 may be a space area strictly between the right cylinder bank 111R and the left cylinder bank 111L. However, in the present embodiment, the bank-in area 200 widely includes a space area between a right bank RB including the right cylinder bank 111R and a left bank LB including the left cylinder bank 111L in the left-right direction.

[0033] By adopting a configuration in which the controller 26 and the fuel pump 27 are disposed in the bank-in area 200, the bank-in area 200 can be efficiently utilized for component arrangement. Thereby, the size of the engine 100 can be reduced. However, the controller 26 and the fuel pump 27 may be disposed outside the bank-in area 200.

[0034] Specifically, the controller 26 includes a first controller 261 and a second controller 262. However, the number of controllers 26 may be appropriately changed. For example, it may be configured with only one controller. In the present embodiment, the first controller 261 and the second controller 262 are arranged in the front-rear direction (crankshaft direction). Specifically, the first controller 261 is located in front of the second controller 262. Among the first controller 261 and the second controller 262, one of them is a main controller and the other is a sub-controller. In the present embodiment, the first controller 261 is the main controller, and the second controller 262 is the sub-controller.

[0035] The first controller 261 configured as a main controller executes operations necessary for controlling the engine 100. Operations necessary for controlling the engine 100 include, for example, operations related to control of fuel injection and operations related to stopping the engine 100. The second controller 262 configured as a sub-controller is connected to the first controller 261 by a communication line (not shown) and is provided so as to be able to communicate with the first controller 261. The second controller 262 performs a control operation according to an instruction from the first controller 261.

[0036] The first controller 261 controls the right injector 8R arranged in the right bank RB. That is, the first controller 261 and each right injector 8R are electrically connected. Further, the second controller 262 controls the left injector 8L arranged in the left bank LB. That is, the second controller 262 and each left injector 8L are electrically connected.

[0037] Also, the fuel pump 27 discharges fuel as high pressure toward a high-pressure fuel pipe (not shown) for the right bank RB and a high-pressure fuel pipe (not shown) for the left bank LB. The fuel passing through the high-pressure fuel pipe for the right bank RB is distributed to each right injector 8R arranged in the right bank RB. The fuel passing through the high-pressure fuel pipe for the left bank LB is distributed to each left injector 8L arranged in the left bank LB. Each injector 8 injects fuel into the combustion chamber under the control of the controller 26.

[0038] <2. Details of Arrangement of Intake and Exhaust System Components> FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing components constituting the intake and exhaust system of the engine 100 shown in FIG. 1 extracted. As shown in FIG. 5, the components constituting the intake system of the engine 100 include the left and right superchargers 23, the left and right first intake connecting pipes 28, the intercooler 25, and the left and right intake manifolds 21.

[0039] Note that the right first intake connection pipe 28R connects the compressor section 231 of the right supercharger 23R and the intercooler 25. The intake air supplied from the compressor section 231 of the right supercharger 23R enters the intercooler 25 through the right first intake connection pipe 28R. The left first intake connection pipe 28L connects the compressor section 231 of the left supercharger 23L and the intercooler 25. The intake air supplied from the compressor section 231 of the left supercharger 23L enters the intercooler 25 through the left first intake connection pipe 28L. Specifically, the right first intake connection pipe 28R and the left first intake connection pipe 28L are connected to different positions of the intercooler 25.

[0040] The components constituting the exhaust system of the engine 100 include the left and right exhaust manifolds 22, the left and right exhaust connection pipes 29, the left and right superchargers 23, and the left and right exhaust outlet pipes 24. Note that the right exhaust connection pipe 29R connects the rear end of the right exhaust manifold 22R and the turbine section 232 of the right supercharger 23R. The exhaust gas passing through the right exhaust manifold 22R enters the turbine section 232 of the right supercharger 23R through the right exhaust connection pipe 29R. The left exhaust connection pipe 29L connects the rear end of the left exhaust manifold 22L and the turbine section 232 of the left supercharger 23L. The exhaust gas passing through the left exhaust manifold 22L enters the turbine section 232 of the left supercharger 23L through the left exhaust connection pipe 29L.

[0041] FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view seen from the rear with some components around the supercharger 23 and the supercharger 23 removed from the view shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view seen from above with some components around the supercharger 23 and the supercharger 23 removed from the view shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view seen from the right side with some components around the supercharger 23 and the supercharger 23 removed from the view shown in FIG. 5. Note that some components around the supercharger 23 are pipes connected to the supercharger 23. The pipes include the first intake connection pipe 28, the exhaust connection pipe 29, and the exhaust outlet pipe 24 described above.

[0042] In FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, a rectangular frame W indicated by a one-dot chain line indicates the general position where the left and right superchargers 23 are arranged. The two-dot chain line S shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 includes the center line C of the crankshaft 6 and indicates a plane orthogonal to the left-right direction. Hereinafter, this plane S will simply be referred to as the center plane S. Further, in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the region ER surrounded by a broken line is an extended region obtained by extending the region of the exhaust manifold 22 rearward. The extended region ER is a region that coincides with the region of the exhaust manifold 22 in a plan view from the crankshaft direction and is a region extending rearward from the exhaust manifold 22. Note that the shape of the extended region ER shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 is a simplified shape rather than an exact shape.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the two exhaust manifolds 22R and 22L provided in the engine 100 are provided for the two cylinder banks 111R and 111L respectively, and are arranged on the side opposite to the side facing the in-bank area 200 located between the two cylinder banks 111R and 111L. As described above, the right cylinder bank 111R constitutes the right bank RB, and the left cylinder bank 111L constitutes the left bank LB (see FIG. 2). In other words, the engine 100 includes exhaust manifolds 22R and 22L arranged on the side opposite to the in-bank area 200 of the cylinder banks 111R and 111L. Note that the side opposite to the in-bank area 200 is the side opposite to the side facing the in-bank area 200.

[0044] Specifically, the right exhaust manifold 22R is arranged on the right side surface of the engine 100, which is the side opposite to the side facing the in-bank area 200, with respect to the right cylinder bank 111R. More specifically, the right exhaust manifold 22R is attached to a plurality of right head blocks 4R (see FIG. 2) that constitute the right bank RB. The left exhaust manifold 22L is arranged on the left side surface of the engine 100, which is the side opposite to the side facing the in-bank area 200, with respect to the left cylinder bank 111L. More specifically, the left exhaust manifold 22L is attached to a plurality of left head blocks 4L (see FIG. 2) that constitute the left bank LB.

[0045] The right exhaust manifold 22R and the left exhaust manifold 22L are arranged at positions that are generally symmetric with respect to the center plane S. The right exhaust manifold 22R and the left exhaust manifold 22L have the same height position in the vertical direction (see Fig. 6). The positions of the right exhaust manifold 22R and the left exhaust manifold 22L are slightly shifted in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the left exhaust manifold 22L is arranged slightly rearward with respect to the right exhaust manifold 22R (see Fig. 7).

[0046] The right exhaust connection pipe 29R is arranged behind the right exhaust manifold 22R. In other words, at least a part of the right exhaust connection pipe 29R is arranged in the extension region ER of the right exhaust manifold 22R. The left exhaust connection pipe 29L is arranged behind the left exhaust manifold 22L. In other words, at least a part of the left exhaust connection pipe 29L is arranged in the extension region ER of the left exhaust manifold 22L.

[0047] The intercooler 25 provided in the engine 100 is arranged on one side in the crankshaft direction with respect to the two cylinder banks 111R, 111L. Specifically, the intercooler 25 is arranged behind the two cylinder banks 111R, 111L (see Fig. 2). The intercooler 25 is arranged outside the in-bank area 200. The intercooler 25 is arranged above the two exhaust manifolds 22R, 22L. In other words, the intercooler 25 is arranged above the extension regions ER of the two exhaust manifolds 22R, 22L (see Fig. 8).

[0048] The two superchargers 23R and 23L provided in the engine 100 are provided for the two cylinder banks 111R and 111L respectively. That is, one supercharger 23 is provided for each of the two cylinder banks 111R and 111L. The two superchargers 23R and 23L are connected to the intercooler 25. Note that each of the two superchargers 23R and 23L may be directly connected to the intercooler 25, but in the present embodiment, as a preferred form, it is indirectly connected to the intercooler 25 via the first intake connection pipe 28. Each of the two superchargers 23R and 23L is arranged at least partially on the extension region ER on one side in the crankshaft direction of the exhaust manifolds 22R and 22L, or between the extension region ER and the intercooler 25.

[0049] With such a configuration, exhaust can be led from each of the two exhaust manifolds 22R and 22L to the turbine parts 232 of the superchargers 23R and 23L over a short distance. Also, intake can be led from each of the two superchargers 23R and 23L to the intercooler 25 over a short distance. That is, by adopting a configuration including the two superchargers 23R and 23L, it is possible to improve the performance of the engine 100 while making the engine 100 more compact.

[0050] In the present embodiment, as shown by the dashed frame W in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, each of the two superchargers 23R and 23L is arranged at least partially in the space between the extension region ER of the exhaust manifolds 22R and 22L and the intercooler 25. The two superchargers 23R and 23L are arranged at positions symmetric with respect to the center plane S.

[0051] Each of the two superchargers 23R and 23L is arranged at least partially between the vertical direction between the extension region ER of the exhaust manifolds 22R and 22L and the intercooler 25 in a side view from the left - right direction (see FIG. 8 for example). Specifically, at least a part of the right supercharger 23R is arranged above the right exhaust connection pipe 29R which is arranged behind the right exhaust manifold 22R. Also, at least a part of the left supercharger 23L is arranged above the left exhaust connection pipe 29L which is arranged behind the left exhaust manifold 22L.

[0052] In addition, it is preferable that the rear end of each of the two superchargers 23R and 23L does not protrude as much as possible behind the rear end of the intercooler 25 in a plan view from above. When it protrudes rearward, the protrusion amount is preferably less than half of the length of the superchargers 23R and 23L in the front - rear direction. It is more preferable that the rear end of each of the two superchargers 23R and 23L is at the same position in the front - rear direction as the rear end of the intercooler 25 or in front of the rear end of the intercooler 25 in a plan view from above.

[0053] In the present embodiment, each of the two superchargers 23R and 23L is arranged outside the in - bank area 200 in a plan view from the crankshaft direction. As shown in FIG. 6, the right supercharger 23R is arranged on the right side of the in - bank area 200 in a plan view from the crankshaft direction. The left supercharger 23L is arranged on the left side of the in - bank area 200 in a plan view from the crankshaft direction.

[0054] The right exhaust outlet pipe 24R is arranged behind the turbine section 232 of the right supercharger 23R (see FIG. 5). The left exhaust outlet pipe 24L is arranged behind the turbine section 232 of the left supercharger 23L (see FIG. 5).

[0055] The supercharger intake outlet 233 (see FIG. 5), which is the intake outlet of each of the superchargers 23R and 23L, is arranged at the same position as at least a part of the intercooler 25 in the crankshaft direction. Specifically, the supercharger intake outlet 233 is the intake outlet of the compressor section 231 of each of the superchargers 23R and 23L. The supercharger intake outlet 233 of the right supercharger 23R is provided on the left side surface of the compressor section 231 and communicates with the right first intake connection pipe 28R connected to the intercooler 25. The supercharger intake outlet 233 of the left supercharger 23L is provided on the right side surface of the compressor section 231 and communicates with the left first intake connection pipe 28L connected to the intercooler 25.

[0056] Since the supercharger intake outlets 233 of each of the two superchargers 23R and 23L are arranged at the same position as at least a part of the intercooler 25 in the crankshaft direction, the lengths of the two first intake connection pipes 28R and 28L can be shortened. The intake air can be efficiently guided from each of the superchargers 23R and 23L to the intercooler 25.

[0057] The intercooler 25 connected to the supercharger 23 is shared by the two cylinder banks 111R and 111L. The number of parts of the engine 100 can be reduced compared to a configuration in which an intercooler is arranged for each cylinder bank. Thereby, the cost of the engine 100 can be reduced. Also, the engine 100 can be downsized. In the present embodiment, the intercooler 25 is supplied with intake air from the two superchargers 23R and 23L. However, the number of superchargers provided in the engine may be one, and a configuration in which the two cylinder banks share one supercharger may be adopted.

[0058] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of an intercooler 25 included in an engine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Note that FIG. 9 is a view when the intercooler 25 is viewed from diagonally below to the right. The intercooler 25 is a liquid-cooled intercooler and has a coolant inlet 251 that is an inlet of the coolant and a coolant outlet 252 that is an outlet of the coolant. The coolant that enters the interior from the coolant inlet 251 passes through a heat exchange section (not shown) provided inside and is discharged from the coolant outlet 252. In the present embodiment, the coolant is cooling water. However, the coolant may be a liquid other than water such as antifreeze. The antifreeze is, for example, a liquid obtained by mixing pure water and ethylene glycol at a predetermined ratio.

[0059] Further, the intercooler 25 has an intercooler intake inlet 253 that is an inlet of the intake air. Specifically, the intercooler intake inlet 253 includes a right intercooler intake inlet 253R that communicates with the right first intake connection pipe 28R and a left intercooler intake inlet 253L that communicates with the left first intake connection pipe 28L. The right intercooler intake inlet 253R is disposed on the right side of the lower surface of the intercooler 25. The left intercooler intake inlet 253L is disposed on the left side of the lower surface of the intercooler 25.

[0060] The intercooler intake inlet 253, which is an inlet of the intake air of the intercooler, is disposed above the supercharger intake outlet 233, which is an outlet of the intake air of each of the superchargers 23R and 23L. As shown in FIG. 5, the right first intake connection pipe 28R that connects the supercharger intake outlet 233 portion of the right supercharger 23R and the right intercooler intake inlet 253R portion has a curved shape. Specifically, the right first intake connection pipe 28R has a curved portion that curves upward as it goes leftward. The left first intake connection pipe 28L that connects the supercharger intake outlet 233 portion of the left supercharger 23L and the left intercooler intake inlet 253L portion has a curved shape. Specifically, the left first intake connection pipe 28L has a curved portion that curves upward as it goes rightward. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to easily absorb the assembly tolerance in the crankshaft direction and improve the assemblability of the engine 100.

[0061] Returning to FIG. 9, the intercooler 25 has an intercooler intake air outlet 254 that discharges the intake air that has entered the interior from the intercooler intake air inlet 253 to the outside of the intercooler 25. The intake air that has entered the interior of the intercooler 25 from the intercooler intake air inlet 253 exchanges heat with a heat exchange section provided inside and is discharged to the outside of the intercooler 25 from the intercooler intake air outlet 254.

[0062] Specifically, the intercooler intake air outlet 254 includes a right intercooler intake air outlet 254R disposed on the upper right side of the front surface of the intercooler 25 and a left intercooler intake air outlet 254L disposed on the upper left side of the front surface of the intercooler 25. That is, the intercooler 25 has intercooler intake air outlets 254R and 254L that discharge the intake air supplied from each of the two superchargers 23 and entering the interior to the outside, on the side where the in-bank area 200 in the crankshaft direction exists. Note that the right intercooler intake air outlet 254R and the left intercooler intake air outlet 254L are symmetrically disposed with respect to the center plane S (see FIG. 6 etc.).

[0063] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing two intake manifolds 21R and 21L provided in the engine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 10, each intake manifold 21R, 21L has a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped intake manifold main body portion 211 and a plurality of intake distribution pipes 212 extending downward from the intake manifold main body portion 211.

[0064] An intake manifold intake air inlet 213, which is an inlet for intake air, is provided on the rear surface of the intake manifold main body portion 211. An intake manifold intake air outlet 214 that communicates with an intake port 41 (see FIG. 2) provided in the head block 4 is provided at the lower end of each intake distribution pipe 212. In the present embodiment, the number of cylinders on the left and right is six each, and the number of intake distribution pipes 212 provided in the right intake manifold 21R and the left intake manifold 21L is six each.

[0065] Note that the right intake manifold 21R and the left intake manifold 21L are arranged at positions substantially symmetric with respect to the center plane S. The right intake manifold 21R and the left intake manifold 21L have the same height position in the vertical direction. The positions of the right intake manifold 21R and the left intake manifold 21L are slightly shifted in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the left intake manifold 21L is arranged slightly forward with respect to the right intake manifold 21R (see Fig. 7).

[0066] The intake manifold 21 provided in the engine 100 is preferably arranged at least partially in the in-bank area 200. The two intake manifolds 21R and 21L provided for the respective two cylinder banks 111R and 111L are preferably arranged at least partially in the in-bank area 200. In the present embodiment, each of the two intake manifolds 21R and 21L has a part thereof arranged in the in-bank area 200. Specifically, a part of the intake distribution pipe 212 is arranged in the in-bank area 200, and the intake manifold main body 211 is arranged above the in-bank area 200.

[0067] The intake manifold 21 is connected to the intake outlet portion of the intercooler 25 (the intercooler intake outlet 254 portion). Specifically, the right intercooler intake outlet 254R portion and the intake manifold intake inlet 213 portion of the right intake manifold 21R are connected by the right second intake connection pipe 30R (see Fig. 7 etc.). That is, the right intercooler intake outlet 254R and the intake manifold intake inlet 213 of the right intake manifold 21R communicate with each other via the right second intake connection pipe 30R. The left intercooler intake outlet 254L portion and the intake manifold intake inlet 213 portion of the left intake manifold 21L are connected by the left second intake connection pipe 30L (see Fig. 7 etc.). That is, the left intercooler intake outlet 254L and the intake manifold intake inlet 213 of the left intake manifold 21L communicate with each other via the left second intake connection pipe 30L.

[0068] The intake air that enters the interior of the intercooler 25 from the supercharger 23 reaches the intake manifold intake port 213 disposed above the in-bank area 200 via the second intake connection pipe 30 from the intercooler intake outlet 254. The intake air that enters the intake manifold main body 211 from the intake manifold intake port 213 is distributed to each intake port 41 by a plurality of intake distribution pipes 212 and supplied to each combustion chamber. Since the intercooler intake outlet 254 is provided on the side of the intercooler 25 where the in-bank area 200 in the crankshaft direction exists, the intake air can be led from the intercooler 25 to the intake manifold 21 over a short distance. That is, according to the engine 100 of the present embodiment, it is possible to lead the intake air from the supercharger 23 to the intake manifold 21 over a short distance.

[0069] The intake inlet (intercooler intake inlet 253) of the intercooler 25 is disposed below the intercooler 25. The intake outlet (intercooler intake outlet 254) of the intercooler 25 is disposed above the intercooler 25. In the present embodiment, the intake manifold 21 is disposed inside a V-bank composed of a right bank RB and a left bank LB, and the exhaust manifold 22 is disposed outside the V-bank. In such a configuration, the intake manifold 21 into which the intake air enters from the intercooler 25 is disposed at a position higher than the exhaust manifold 22. For this reason, by providing the intake inlet 253 below the intercooler 25 and the intake outlet 254 above the intercooler 25, the intake air flow path can be configured without difficulty. That is, the engine 100 can be easily made more compact.

[0070] <3. Details of the Intercooler> FIG. 11 is a first cross-sectional perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an intercooler 25 provided in an engine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a second cross-sectional perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an intercooler 25 provided in an engine 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The first cross-section and the second cross-section are cross-sections cut at different positions. FIG. 11 is a view showing a cross-section cut along a plane orthogonal to the left-right direction. FIG. 12 is a view showing a cross-section cut along a plane orthogonal to the front-rear direction.

[0071] As shown in FIGS. 9, 11, and 12, the intercooler 25 includes an intercooler main body 250, a heat exchange section 255, a first intercooler lid section 256, and a second intercooler lid section 257.

[0072] The intercooler main body 250 is a cylindrical shape extending in the left - right direction. An intercooler intake port 253 is provided on the lower surface of the intercooler main body 250. Specifically, a right intercooler intake port 253R is provided on the right side of the lower surface of the intercooler main body 250, and a left intercooler intake port 253L is provided on the left side of the lower surface. Also, an intercooler intake outlet 254 is provided above the front surface of the intercooler main body 250. Specifically, a right intercooler intake outlet 254R is provided on the right side above the front surface of the intercooler main body 250, and a left intercooler intake outlet 254L is provided on the left side above the front surface.

[0073] The heat exchange section 255 is disposed inside the intercooler main body 250. The heat exchange section 255 has a plurality of tubes 2551 through which a coolant flows inside. The plurality of tubes 2551 extend in the left - right direction. At the left and right ends of the plurality of tubes 2551, a pair of end holding portions 2552 for collectively holding the plurality of tubes 2551 are arranged. The plurality of tubes 2551 are held by the pair of end holding portions 2552 with their left and right end faces open. By being held by the pair of end holding portions 2552, the plurality of tubes 2551 are bundled. The region occupied by the bundled plurality of tubes 2551 extends in a plane - inner direction parallel to the up - down direction and the front - rear direction. The bundled plurality of tubes 2551 extend from the front end to the rear end of the internal space 2501 of the intercooler main body 250 (see FIG. 11).

[0074] Each of the pair of end holders 2552 is provided in a plate shape. Among the pair of end holders 2552, the end holder 2552 arranged on the right side closes the right end face of the intercooler main body 250. Also, among the pair of end holders 2552, the end holder 2552 arranged on the left side closes the left end face of the intercooler main body 250. The plurality of tubes 2551 extend from the left end to the right end of the intercooler main body 250.

[0075] In this embodiment, an intermediate support portion 2553 that supports the intermediate portion in the left - right direction of the plurality of tubes 2551 is arranged in the internal space 2501 of the intercooler main body 250. The intermediate support portion 2553 is plate - shaped and contacts the intercooler main body 250. The plurality of tubes 2551 penetrate the intermediate support portion 2553. In this embodiment, two intermediate support portions 2553 are provided at intervals in the left - right direction. However, the number of the intermediate support portions 2553 may be changed as appropriate. In some cases, the intermediate support portion 2553 may not be provided.

[0076] The first intercooler lid portion 256 is arranged on the left side of the intercooler main body 250 and covers the end holder 2552 arranged on the left side among the pair of end holders 2552 from the left. The first intercooler lid portion 256 has a partition portion 2561 inside that divides the internal space vertically.

[0077] The lower space of the partition portion 2561 constitutes the above - mentioned coolant inlet 251. The coolant inlet 251 faces the left end faces of some of the plurality of tubes 2551. For example, the left end faces of the tubes 2551 arranged in the lower half of the plurality of tubes 2551 face the coolant inlet 251.

[0078] The upper space of the partition portion 2561 constitutes the above - mentioned coolant outlet 252. The coolant outlet 252 faces the left end faces of the remaining tubes 2551 except for some of the tubes 2551 that face the coolant inlet 251 among the plurality of tubes 2551. For example, the left end faces of the tubes 2551 arranged in the upper half of the plurality of tubes 2551 face the coolant outlet 252.

[0079] The second intercooler lid portion 257 is disposed on the right side of the intercooler main body portion 250 and covers the end holding portion 2552 disposed on the right side among the pair of end holding portions 2552 from the right. The second intercooler lid portion 257 has a cup shape that opens to the left. The right end surfaces of all of the plurality of tubes 2551 face the internal space of the second intercooler lid portion 257 attached to the intercooler main body portion 250. Hereinafter, this internal space will be described as the folding portion 2571 from its function. Details of the folding portion 2571 will be described later.

[0080] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the flow of the coolant and the intake air in the intercooler 25 provided in the engine 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the same cross section as FIG. 12 and is a view seen from the rear toward the front. In FIG. 13, the white arrows indicate the flow of the coolant. In FIG. 13, the thick arrows indicate the flow of the intake air from the supercharger 23. The intercooler 25 has a coolant flow path P1 through which the coolant flows and an intake air flow path P2 through which the intake air from the supercharger 23 flows.

[0081] Specifically, the coolant flow path P1 has a coolant inlet (coolant inlet 251) and an outlet (coolant outlet 252) on one side in the first direction along which the coolant flows. With this configuration, inside the intercooler 25, the coolant can be made to flow back and forth at least once in the first direction. As a result, it is possible to make it difficult for a temperature difference to occur in the temperature of the intake air that is distributed to the two cylinder banks 111R and 111L through the intercooler 25. Details of this point will be described later.

[0082] Note that the first direction along the flow of the coolant is, specifically, the direction along the main flow of the coolant, and in the present embodiment, it is the left - right direction. In the present embodiment, one side in the first direction is the left side, and the other side is the right side.

[0083] In this embodiment, the coolant that enters from the coolant inlet 251 reaches the coolant outlet 252 via the turning portion 2571 disposed on the other side in the first direction. Specifically, the coolant that enters from the coolant inlet 251 flows rightward through a plurality of tubes 2551 facing the coolant inlet 251 and reaches the turning portion 2571. The coolant that reaches the turning portion 2571 flows leftward through a plurality of tubes 2551 facing the coolant outlet 252 and reaches the coolant outlet 252, and is discharged to the outside of the intercooler 25. That is, in this embodiment, inside the intercooler 25, the coolant travels back and forth only once in the left - right direction (the first direction). With such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the complexity inside the intercooler 25.

[0084] As can be understood from the above, in this embodiment, the coolant flow path P1 is composed of the coolant inlet 251, a plurality of tubes 2551, the turning portion 2571, and the coolant outlet 252.

[0085] Also, the intake air flow path P2 has an intake air inlet (intercooler intake air inlet 253) on one side in the second direction along the flow of the intake air from the supercharger 23 and an intake air outlet (intercooler intake air outlet 254) on the other side. With such a configuration, since the intake air inlet and outlet are on opposite sides, it is easy to disperse and arrange the intake system components disposed around the intercooler 25.

[0086] Note that the second direction along the flow of the intake air is, specifically, the direction along the main flow of the intake air, and in this embodiment, it is the up - down direction. In this embodiment, one side in the second direction is the lower side and the other side is the upper side.

[0087] In this embodiment, the intake air passage P2 is configured such that the intake air passes once through one side and the other side in the second direction. Specifically, the intake air that enters the internal space 2501 of the intercooler main body 250 from the right intercooler intake port 253R and the left intercooler intake port 253L passes through the gap between the plurality of tubes 2551 from below the heat exchange section 255 and exits above the heat exchange section 255. When passing through the gaps between the plurality of tubes 2551, the intake air is deprived of heat and cooled. The coolant flowing through the inside of the plurality of tubes 2551 is heated by taking heat from the intake air. The intake air that exits above the heat exchange section 255 enters the right intake manifold 21R via the right intercooler intake outlet 254R and enters the left intake manifold 21L via the left intercooler intake outlet 254L. By making the flow of the intake air a one-way flow from below to above in this way, it is possible to suppress the complexity of the inside of the intercooler 25.

[0088] As can be seen from the above, in this embodiment, the intake air passage P2 is composed of the intercooler intake port 253, the internal space 2501 of the intercooler main body 250, and the intercooler intake outlet 254.

[0089] In the intercooler 25 of this embodiment, the first direction and the second direction intersect. Specifically, since the coolant flows in the left-right direction and the intake air flows in the up-down direction, the flows of both intersect. With this configuration, it is possible to configure the intake air from the supercharger 23 to always pass through the heat exchange section 255 configured using the coolant passage P1. In some cases, the first direction and the second direction may be the same direction.

[0090] The intake air that enters the intercooler main body 250 from the right intercooler intake port 253R mainly enters the right intake manifold 21R through the right intercooler intake outlet 254R. Also, the intake air that enters the intercooler main body 250 from the left intercooler intake port 253L mainly enters the left intake manifold 21L through the left intercooler intake outlet 254L. The coolant flowing through the coolant flow path P1 increases in temperature as it flows from the upstream (coolant inlet 251) to the downstream (coolant outlet 252). For this reason, the intake air entering the left intake manifold 21L mainly passes through the low-temperature part and the high-temperature part where the temperature of the coolant is low, and the intake air entering the right intake manifold 21R mainly passes through the intermediate-temperature part where the temperature of the coolant is intermediate between the aforementioned high-temperature part and the low-temperature part. As a result, it is possible to make the thermal energy taken away by the coolant substantially the same between the intake air sent to the right intake manifold 21R connected to the right cylinder bank 111R and the intake air sent to the left intake manifold 21L connected to the left cylinder bank 111L. That is, it is possible to suppress a difference in the adjustment of the intake air temperature by the intercooler 25 between the right cylinder bank 111R and the left cylinder bank 111L.

[0091] Note that a partition wall may be arranged inside the intercooler main body 250 to divide the internal space 2501 of the intercooler main body 250 into a right chamber and a left chamber. In this way, all of the intake air that enters the intercooler main body 250 from the right intercooler intake port 253R can be guided to the right intercooler intake outlet 254R. Also, all of the intake air that enters the intercooler main body 250 from the left intercooler intake port 253L can be guided to the left intercooler intake outlet 254L. By doing so, it is easier to stabilize the temperature of the intake air sent to each of the left and right intake manifolds 21.

[0092] Also, in the present embodiment, the heat exchange part 255 of the intercooler 25 configured using the coolant flow path P1 has a multi-tube cooling structure having a plurality of tubes 2551 extending in the first direction. With such a configuration, high cooling efficiency can be obtained. However, the heat exchange part provided in the intercooler 25 may have a structure other than the multi-tube cooling structure.

[0093] In addition, in the present embodiment, the intake passage P2 is configured such that the intake air passes once through one side (lower side) and the other side (upper side) in the second direction (vertical direction), but a different configuration may also be used. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an intercooler 25A according to a modified example.

[0094] The intercooler 25A according to the modified example also includes an intercooler main body 250A, a heat exchange section 255A, a first intercooler lid section 256A, and a second intercooler lid section 257A, similar to the above-described embodiment. The intercooler main body 250A has left and right intercooler intake inlets 253A and left and right intercooler intake outlets 254A. The first intercooler lid section 256A has a coolant inlet 251A and a coolant outlet 252A. The second intercooler lid section 257A has a turning section 2571A. In FIG. 14, the thick arrows indicate the flow of intake air.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 14, the intake air that has entered the intercooler main body 250 from the intercooler intake inlet 253A may be configured to turn back toward one side after reaching from one side to the other side in the second direction, and to turn back toward the other side at least once, and then exit to the outside from the intercooler intake outlet 254.

[0096] In the example shown in FIG. 14, the number of turns in the second direction of the intake air is two, but it may be an even number greater than two. In the above-described embodiment, the number of turns of the intake air is zero.

[0097] In addition, in the example shown in FIG. 14, a partition wall 258 that divides the internal space 2501A into a left chamber and a right chamber is provided in the intercooler main body 250A. That is, the intake air that has entered the intercooler main body 250A from the right intercooler intake inlet 253RA is guided to the right intercooler intake outlet 254RA. Also, the intake air that has entered the intercooler main body 250A from the left intercooler intake inlet 253LA is guided to the left intercooler intake outlet 254LA.

[0098] <4. Precautions, etc.> Various technical features disclosed in this specification can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the technical creation. That is, the above embodiments should be considered illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. Also, a plurality of embodiments and variations shown in this specification may be implemented in combination within the possible range.

Explanation of Reference Signs

[0099] 1 ··· Cylinder block 2 ··· Flywheel 21 ··· Intake manifold 21L ··· Left intake manifold 21R ··· Right intake manifold 22 ··· Exhaust manifold 22L ··· Left exhaust manifold 22R ··· Right exhaust manifold 23 ··· Supercharger 23L ··· Left supercharger 23R ··· Right supercharger 25, 25A ··· Intercooler 100 ··· Engine 111 ··· Cylinder bank 111L ··· Left cylinder bank 111R ··· Right cylinder bank 200 ··· Area within the bank 251, 251A ··· Coolant inlet (Inlet of coolant) 252, 252A ··· Coolant outlet (Outlet of coolant) 253, 253A ··· Intercooler intake inlet (Inlet of intake air) 253L, 253LA ··· Left intercooler intake inlet 253R, 253RA ··· Right intercooler intake inlet 254, 254A ··· Intercooler intake outlet (Outlet of intake air) 254L, 254LA ··· Left intercooler intake outlet 254R, 254RA ··· Right intercooler intake outlet P1 ··· Cooling liquid flow path P2 ··· Intake air flow path

Claims

1. A row of cylinders, A supercharger, an intercooler connected to the turbocharger; Equipped with The intercooler is a coolant flow path through which the coolant flows; an intake passage through which intake air from the turbocharger flows; having the cooling liquid flow path has an inlet and an outlet for the cooling liquid on one side in a first direction along the flow of the cooling liquid, the intake passage has an intake inlet on one side in a second direction along the flow of the intake air and an intake outlet on the other side; The engine, wherein the first direction is a left-right direction perpendicular to a crankshaft direction when viewed in a plan view from a top-bottom direction.

2. The intercooler is A cylindrical main body portion extending in the left-right direction; a heat exchange unit configured using the cooling liquid flow path and held by a pair of holders disposed at left and right ends of the main body; a first cover portion disposed on one side of the main body in a left-right direction and covering one of the pair of holding portions; a second cover portion disposed on the other side of the main body in the left-right direction and covering the other of the pair of holding portions; 2. The engine of claim 1, further comprising:

3. The engine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the intake passage is configured so that the intake air passes through one side and the other side in the second direction once.

4. 3. The engine according to claim 1, wherein the intake passage is configured such that after the intake air reaches from one side in the second direction to the other side, the intake air turns back toward one side in the second direction and then turns back toward the other side in the second direction at least once.

5. The engine according to claim 1 , wherein the first direction and the second direction intersect.

6. The cylinder row includes two cylinder rows arranged side by side in the left-right direction, The supercharger is provided for each of the two cylinder rows, 6. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the intercooler is supplied with the intake air from two of the turbochargers.

7. an intake manifold, at least a portion of which is disposed in an area within a bank located between the two cylinder rows and connected to the intake outlet portion; an exhaust manifold disposed on a side of the row of cylinders opposite to the bank area; The engine of claim 6 comprising:

8. The intake inlet is disposed below the intercooler, 8. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the intake outlet is disposed above the intercooler.

9. The engine according to claim 1 , wherein the intercooler is disposed at a position higher than a cylinder block in a side view.

10. 10. The engine according to claim 1, wherein the intercooler is disposed at a position higher than a flywheel when viewed in the crankshaft direction.

Images