Earthworking Machine Cooling Unit with Partitioned Suction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low-speed earth working machines with liquid-cooled internal combustion engines face challenges in cooling due to low speeds, which prevent ram air cooling, and existing cooling systems are inefficient, leading to increased space requirements and reduced power output from supercharging, along with elevated temperatures affecting air conditioning systems.
Innovation Solution
The machine features a separate main cooler with a first fan and an auxiliary cooler with a second fan, both situated outside the engine compartment, using a common suction space with partitions to ensure cool intake air and prevent hot air recirculation, with fans driven independently to optimize cooling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the cooling system fan is firmly attached to the driving internal combustion engine, then the cooling system can be simplified, but the cooling performance becomes insufficient at low engine speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a hydrostatic drive system for the cooling fan that operates independently of engine speed. The hydrostatic drive allows the fan to maintain optimal rotation speed regardless of whether the engine is running at high or low speeds, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and cooling performance across varying operating conditions.
2Temperature
If the cooling system is located in the rear part of the machine with independent hydrostatic drive, then the cooling air intake temperature is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates the cooling system from the traditional front or engine-integrated position to the rear part of the machine. This spatial repositioning in another dimension allows the system to draw cooler air from the rear environment rather than hot air from the engine compartment, effectively reducing intake air temperature despite the increased structural complexity.
3Device complexity
If a common cooling system serves all cooling circuits, then the device complexity is reduced, but the cooling efficiency for each individual circuit decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cooling system by providing separate fans for the main cooler and auxiliary coolers. This segmentation allows each fan to be optimized for its specific cooling circuit's requirements, ensuring that each cooling circuit receives adequate airflow and cooling efficiency is maintained for all circuits simultaneously.
4Power
If the engine is supercharged with a turbocharger and intercooler, then the engine power is increased, but the cooling demands of the whole machine increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides separate cooling paths and dedicated fans for the intercooler and other cooling circuits. This segmentation of the cooling system allows the intercooler to be cooled independently with optimized airflow, preventing the intercooler from becoming a bottleneck that would limit the engine's supercharging capability and power output.
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 maximizes cooling efficiency by maintaining low intake air temperatures and ensuring proportional cooling performance to engine speed, reducing power losses and improving overall machine performance.
Implementation Method 1
the first fan of the main cooler is arranged for suction of the cooling air from the common suction space and for its guiding to the outside of the machine through said main cooler
Implementation Method 2
the auxiliary cooler is fitted with the second fan, which is also arranged for sucking the cooling air from the common suction space and for its guiding through the auxiliary cooler and the engine space to the outside of the machine
Implementation Method 3
a main cooler for cooling of the cooling liquid of the internal combustion engine
Implementation Method 4
at least one auxiliary cooler, which is for example an intercooler of air for supercharging, an oil cooler, a cooler for air conditioning
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A drive unit for earth working machines, driven with a liquid-cooled internal combustion engine, wherein the internal combustion engine is situated in the engine compartment with a bonnet, and is fitted with a main cooler (7) for cooling of cooling of the liquid of the internal combustion engine, and at least one auxiliary cooler, which is e.g. an intercooler of air for supercharging, an oil cooler, a cooler for air conditioning, etc. The main cooler (7) is provided with a first fan and is situated separately from the engine compartment. A common suction space (9) of air is situated between the engine compartment and the main cooler, which space is designed for sucking of air from the outside of the machine and comprises a first partition (11), situated to separate the common suction space (9) from the engine compartment, and a second partition (12). The main cooler (7) is situated behind the second partition (12), while the auxiliary cooler is situated in front of the first partition (11), wherein the first fan (8) of the main cooler (7) is situated for suction of the cooling air from the common suction space (9) and for its taking off to the outside of the machine, while the auxiliary cooler (6) is fitted with the second fan (5), which is also situated for sucking of the cooling air from the common suction space (9) and for its taking off through the engine space to the outside of the machine.