EGR Cooler and Coolant Collector Bracket Integration for Compact Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing EGR systems face challenges in efficiently integrating the EGR cooler with the coolant collector bracket, leading to space constraints and misalignment of fluid communication paths, which can hinder effective coolant flow and exhaust recirculation.
Innovation Solution
A combination of an EGR cooler and a coolant collector bracket is designed with offset mounts and passages that allow fluid communication and reduce space occupancy, ensuring alignment and efficient coolant flow despite misaligned inlet/outlet positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the EGR cooler is integrated with the coolant collector bracket using conventional mounting methods, then the mounting structure is simple, but the inlet/outlet alignment is difficult to achieve and space occupancy is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The EGR cooler is integrated directly with the coolant collector bracket to form a unified assembly. The cooler's inlet and outlet are positioned to align with the bracket's coolant passages, eliminating the need for separate mounting brackets and reducing overall space occupancy while achieving precise fluid communication alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant collector bracket serves as an intermediary component that facilitates fluid communication between the EGR cooler and the engine's coolant system. The bracket's passages act as mediators to connect the cooler's inlet/outlet with the main coolant flow paths, solving the alignment problem between mismatched ports.
2Ease of operation
If the EGR cooler is mounted with standard mounting brackets, then the mounting process is straightforward, but the fluid communication paths are misaligned
Solution Approach 1:
The EGR cooler and coolant collector bracket are merged into a single integrated component. The cooler's inlet and outlet ports are positioned during manufacturing to directly align with the bracket's coolant passages, ensuring reliable fluid communication while simplifying the mounting process to a single assembly operation.
3Volume of moving object
If the inlet and outlet positions are aligned conventionally, then the fluid flow path is direct, but the space requirements are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The EGR cooler is integrated with the coolant collector bracket to form a compact unified assembly. This merging eliminates the need for separate mounting brackets and reduces the overall space required in the engine bay, while the direct alignment of ports maintains simple fluid flow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant collector bracket performs multiple functions: it serves as a mounting structure for the EGR cooler, provides coolant distribution passages, and facilitates fluid communication between the cooler and engine coolant system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional components and reduces overall space requirements.
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
The solution facilitates efficient coolant flow and reduces space occupancy in the engine system, allowing for convenient positioning of turbocharger components and maintaining fluid communication, even with non-aligned inlet/outlet configurations.
Implementation Method 1
The recirculated exhaust gases may be cooled along the path to the intake side of the engine by an EGR cooler that receives engine coolant
Implementation Method 2
an EGR cooler that receives engine coolant
Data Source
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AI summary
An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler (100) for mounting to a coolant collector bracket (200) may include a cooler body (111) having a top (116), a bottom (118), a length (120) extending in a longitudinal direction, and a width (140) extending in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and at least one mount (150, 152) coupled to the bottom (118) of the cooler body (110). An interior of the mount (150, 152) may be in fluid communication with an interior of the cooler body (110). A width (190) of the at least one mount (150, 152) in the lateral direction of the cooler body (110) may be equal to or less than the width (140) of the cooler body (110). The at least one mount (150, 152) may be positioned such that the mount (150, 152) does not extend beyond the width (140) of the cooler body (110).