Integrated Pump Closure Element for Compact Engine Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coolant pump arrangements in combustion engines are bulky and complex, leading to size issues in modern vehicle engine compartments, where compactness and efficiency are increasingly demanded.
Innovation Solution
A sealing element for the coolant pump housing, comprising interconnected parts with sealing elements and a guide feature to direct the coolant fluid efficiently, allowing for a compact and simplified cooling circuit design, with a removable closure element that separates the housing into low- and high-pressure chambers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional external coolant pump arrangement is used, then the pump can be easily accessed and maintained, but the engine size increases and the cooling system becomes bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the coolant pump with the cylinder block housing by integrating the pump body directly into the cylinder block structure. The pump housing forms part of the cylinder block assembly, eliminating the need for a separate externally mounted pump unit. This integration reduces overall engine volume while maintaining pump functionality for coolant circulation.
2Volume of moving object
If a compact cooling circuit is implemented, then the engine dimensions are reduced, but the complexity of the sealing and fluid guidance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element is divided into multiple functional parts: a first sealing portion for sealing the pump housing, a second sealing portion for sealing the fluid passage, and an integrated fluid guidance structure. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall compactness of the cooling circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it seals the pump housing, seals the fluid passage between high and low pressure chambers, and provides fluid guidance from the inlet orifice to the pump inlet. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, simplifying the overall design despite the compact configuration.
3Volume of moving object
If the pump is integrated into the cylinder block, then the engine becomes more compact, but the sealing requirements become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing element incorporates multiple sealing portions and sealing elements positioned at critical interfaces before fluid leakage can occur. The design includes redundant sealing features that prevent leakage under high pressure conditions, ensuring reliability is maintained from the outset of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element utilizes different material properties in different portions to optimize sealing performance. The sealing portions are designed with materials suitable for withstanding high pressure and temperature conditions, while the fluid guidance portions use materials optimized for fluid flow characteristics, creating a composite sealing structure with enhanced reliability.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a closure element (2) for closing a housing (3) in a heat-transfer-fluid pump (4) contained in a heat engine of a vehicle, in particular in a cylinder block (1) of the engine, said closure element (2) comprising an element (5) for guiding the flow of heat transfer fluid towards an inlet (6) of the pump (4).