Engine Coolant Pump Vent Passage for Air Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centrifugal pumps in internal combustion engine cooling systems face priming issues due to entrained air, leading to reduced efficiency and potential wear, as they require liquid in the volute to operate effectively, and conventional venting methods are inadequate for maintaining prime during engine start-ups and shutdowns.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a vent passage between the cooling jacket and the pump housing in the engine block, which allows for internal degassing and priming of the pump volute, positioning the vent passage between the inlet and deck face to facilitate air removal and maintain prime during engine operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If the pump is positioned with the discharge port at the high point of the volute to provide venting of gases, then gas venting is improved, but the pump cannot maintain prime during engine start-ups and shutdowns when coolant drains from the volute
Solution Approach 1:
A vent passage is introduced as an intermediary component that provides a dedicated pathway for air and vapor to escape from the volute to the atmosphere. This vent passage is positioned to allow air removal while preventing coolant drainage, serving as a mediator between the volute interior and exterior environments to resolve the contradiction between gas venting and prime maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The vent passage is designed to facilitate preliminary air removal from the volute before the pump operates, ensuring the volute is properly primed. The passage allows air to escape during filling and startup conditions before coolant levels stabilize, preventing air pockets from forming during critical startup phases.
2Ease of operation
If the pump operates without proper priming, then the pump can run without liquid in the volute, but pumping efficiency is reduced and wear or stress occurs on pump surfaces and components
Solution Approach 1:
The vent passage enables the pump system to self-prime automatically during startup and operation. By providing a continuous air escape path, the system self-regulates to maintain proper liquid levels in the volute without external intervention, ensuring the pump consistently operates with adequate priming and preventing wear from air ingestion.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If entrained air accumulates in the eye of the impeller, then air venting occurs, but liquid flow through the pump is blocked and performance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The vent passage extracts air and vapor from the volute interior, specifically targeting air accumulation in critical areas like the impeller eye. By providing a dedicated extraction path for gases, the passage removes harmful air pockets that would otherwise block liquid flow and reduce pump performance, while allowing the pump to continue operating efficiently.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration ensures efficient priming and operation of the pump by removing air and vapor, reducing wear and stress on components, and maintaining pump efficiency across varying engine conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The vent passage is fluidly connected to the cooling passage and the volute, and allows for venting air from the volute
Implementation Method 2
the pump needs to be primed when it is installed and coolant is first introduced into the cooling system. The pump may also need to be primed at each cold start of the engine as the coolant may drain from the pump volute when the engine is not operating
Data Source
AI summary
An engine cylinder block forms a cooling jacket adjacent to a cylinder and that intersects a deck face adapted to mate with a cylinder head. The cooling jacket has an inlet passage intersecting a mounting face adapted to mate with a coolant pump housing. The block forms a vent passage extending from the cooling jacket to the mounting face. The pump housing forms a volute adapted to receive an impeller. The housing forms a discharge passage that fluidly connects to the inlet passage of the block. The pump housing also forms a vent passage the fluidly connects with the vent passage of the block. The vent passages of the block and pump housing are positioned between the deck face of the block and the inlet and discharge passages when the pump housing is connected to the engine block.