Electric Intake Compressor Engine Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cooling an overheated vehicle engine, especially in idle-stop conditions, often fail to maintain engine temperatures within a target range, leading to potential engine damage and loss of fuel economy benefits due to reliance on traditional coolant systems which may degrade or be insufficient during static conditions.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an electrically driven intake air compressor (EDIAC) that spins the engine unfueled and routes cooled air through a charge air cooler to expedite engine cooling, allowing for efficient heat dissipation without engine restart, even when the vehicle is stationary, and can transition a hybrid electric vehicle to electric-only mode for enhanced cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the engine is restarted to increase cooling air flow, then engine cooling is improved, but fuel economy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cooling action by spinning the engine unfueled and operating the electric intake air compressor to route cool air through the engine cylinders before the engine is restarted. This preliminary cooling reduces the temperature differential that would otherwise require an immediate engine restart, thereby preserving fuel economy benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the traditional mechanical cooling approach (restarting the engine to drive the cooling fan and create air flow) with an electrically driven system. The electric intake air compressor is operated independently of engine combustion, using electrical power to drive the compressor and create cooling air flow through the engine, thus substituting mechanical engine-driven cooling with an electrically-driven alternative.
2Temperature
If additional cooling fans are activated during idle-stop, then engine cooling is improved, but the engine continues to overheat due to static conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pneumatic principles by operating the electric intake air compressor to force cool air through the engine cylinders. The compressor creates pressurized air flow that actively pushes cool air through the combustion chambers, providing effective cooling even when the vehicle is static and natural convection is insufficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The electric intake air compressor acts as an intermediary device that facilitates cooling air flow through the engine. Instead of relying directly on engine operation or passive fan-driven air flow, the compressor serves as an intermediate mechanism that actively delivers cool air through the charge air cooler and into the engine cylinders, ensuring reliable cooling effectiveness.
3Temperature
If the engine is spun unfueled with electric intake compressor operation, then engine cooling is expedited, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electric intake air compressor serves multiple functions: it provides forced induction during normal engine operation and serves as a cooling device during idle-stop conditions. By utilizing the same component for both boosting and cooling purposes, the system avoids adding dedicated cooling equipment, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving effective engine cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the engine spinning operation with the electric intake compressor operation into a unified cooling process. Rather than using separate mechanisms for engine rotation and air compression, the system combines these functions, using the electric compressor to both spin the engine unfueled and deliver cool air through the cylinders simultaneously, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
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 approach effectively reduces engine and under-hood temperatures, prolongs engine idle-stop benefits, and reduces the need for engine restarts, thereby enhancing fuel economy and preventing overheating issues.
Implementation Method 1
air to engine cylinders via a charge air cooler
Implementation Method 2
operating an electrical intake air compressor
Implementation Method 3
transferring the heat to ambient air
Implementation Method 4
transferring the heat to ambient air
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for cooling an engine by operating an electrically driven intake air compressor. In one example, in response to a determination, based on a measured or inferred engine temperature, that the engine temperature is greater than a threshold temperature, employing the vehicle's electrically driven intake air compressor to route air through a charge air cooler and engine cylinders, while engine spins unfueled. In this way the engine temperature may be reduced even under conditions not normally amenable to engine cooling, such as at idle-stops or when an engine coolant system is degraded.