Engine Cooling System with Diverter Valve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power generating systems lack an effective method to separately manage and regulate waste heat streams within the engine room, particularly in varying ambient and internal temperatures, which can impact engine performance and power output.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system with two distinct circuits, each with a heat exchanger and conduit, along with a fan and diverter valve, is implemented to manage cooling fluid flow based on air and ambient temperatures, allowing for regulation of air temperature within the engine room for optimal combustion and heat rejection efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional containers or enclosures are used to house engine and heat exchangers, then space utilization is limited, but the ability to treat waste heat streams separately is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cooling functions (intercooler cooling, engine jacket cooling, and ambient air temperature regulation) into a single integrated cooling system with a common cooling fluid circuit. This merging of previously separate cooling systems allows the system to treat different waste heat streams separately through selective fluid routing while maintaining compact space utilization within the container.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed with multi-functionality to handle three distinct cooling needs: cooling the intercooler, cooling the engine jacket, and regulating ambient air temperature in the container. The single cooling fluid circuit can be directed to different heat exchangers based on thermal conditions, making the system adaptable to various operating scenarios without requiring separate dedicated systems for each function.
2Temperature
If cooling fluid flow is increased to regulate ambient air temperature, then heat rejection efficiency improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system employs dynamic control of cooling fluid flow through a control valve that adjusts the flow rate based on ambient air temperature conditions. The system can operate in different modes: when ambient temperature is low, the cooling fluid flows through the ambient air heat exchanger to cool the container air; when ambient temperature is high, the flow is redirected to the intercooler and/or engine jacket. This dynamic adaptation optimizes energy consumption by activating cooling only when and where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (cooling fluid flow distribution) based on ambient temperature conditions. The control valve modifies the flow rate and routing of cooling fluid according to thermal conditions, allowing the system to efficiently regulate ambient air temperature while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary cooling operations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate cooling circuits are implemented for intercooler and engine jacket, then heat stream management improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the intercooler cooling circuit and engine jacket cooling circuit into a single common cooling fluid circuit. The cooling fluid flows through a single pump and is distributed to different heat exchangers (intercooler, engine jacket, and ambient air heat exchanger) based on thermal conditions. This unified approach maintains the ability to manage different heat streams separately through selective routing while reducing the overall complexity of having multiple independent cooling systems.
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 solution effectively regulates air temperature within the engine room, enhancing combustion performance and heat rejection efficiency by dynamically managing cooling fluid flow between the circuits, potentially eliminating the need for conventional air ducts and optimizing space usage.
Implementation Method 1
a first heat exchanger (204)... configured to receive cooling fluid... to cool down components such as the engine
Implementation Method 2
a fan (216) configured to draw air over the first heat exchanger (204), through the engine room (104), and over the second heat exchanger (210)
Implementation Method 3
a fan (216) configured to draw air over the first heat exchanger (204), through the engine room (104), and over the second heat exchanger (210)
Implementation Method 4
a diverter valve (224) configured to control a flow of cooling fluid from the second cooling conduit (212) to the first cooling conduit (205)
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A cooling system (200) for an engine (106) disposed within an engine room (104) includes a first cooling circuit (202) associated with an intercooler (206) of the engine (106), and a second cooling circuit (208) associated with a cooling jacket (214) of the engine (106). The cooling system (200) further includes a first connecting conduit (222) fluidly connecting the first cooling circuit (202) and the second cooling circuit (208), and a diverter valve (224) disposed in the first connecting conduit (222). The diverter valve (224) is configured to control a flow of cooling fluid from the second cooling circuit (208) to the first cooling circuit (202). The cooling system (200) further includes a controller (226) communicably coupled to the diverter valve (224). The controller (226) is configured to regulate the diverter valve (224) to allow a flow of cooling fluid from the second cooling circuit (208) to the first cooling circuit (202) based on at least one of air temperature (T1) in the engine room (104) and ambient air temperature (T).