Vehicle Cooling System With Directed Coolant Flows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems for internal combustion engines require electrically operated coolant pumps with high capacity, which are expensive, prone to failure, and inefficient, especially under zero flow conditions, and often necessitate separate heat exchangers for heating and cooling lubricating oils.
Innovation Solution
A multifunction valve with a mechanically driven impeller type water pump and a two-plate valve operated by a wax motor or electric motor, which directs coolant flows to various engine components as needed, reducing overall coolant flow volume and eliminating the need for separate heat exchangers for oil cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an electrically operated coolant pump with high capacity is used to meet worst case cooling conditions, then cooling performance is improved, but pump cost, complexity, and failure risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the electrically operated coolant pump with a mechanically driven impeller type water pump that is driven directly by the engine. This substitution eliminates the need for electrical components, reducing complexity and failure risk while maintaining adequate cooling performance through mechanical coupling to the engine.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanically driven water pump serves multiple functions: it provides coolant circulation for engine cooling, and through the multifunction valve system, it enables directed coolant flows to various components including oil coolers and heater cores. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate pumping systems for different cooling needs.
2Productivity
If a multifunction valve with directed flows is implemented, then coolant flow volume is reduced and system efficiency is improved, but valve complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The multifunction valve divides the coolant flow into separate directed streams, allowing different portions of coolant to be routed to different components (engine cooling, oil cooling, heater core) as needed. This segmentation enables precise control of coolant distribution, improving system efficiency by delivering coolant only where and when needed rather than circulating it through all components continuously.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve system dynamically redirects coolant flows based on real-time thermal management needs. The multifunction valve can change its configuration to provide directed flows to different components depending on operating conditions, enabling adaptive thermal management that optimizes efficiency across varying engine loads and temperatures.
3Temperature
If separate heat exchangers are used for heating and cooling lubricating oil, then oil temperature control is improved, but system weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of heating and cooling lubricating oil into a single heat exchanger unit. The multifunction valve directs coolant flows to this single heat exchanger to perform both heating (when oil needs to be warmed up) and cooling (when oil needs to be cooled during operation). This merging eliminates the need for separate heat exchangers, reducing system weight and component count while maintaining effective oil temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The single heat exchanger serves multiple functions: it can cool lubricating oil during normal operation, heat oil during cold start conditions, and work in conjunction with the multifunction valve to provide directed coolant flows. This multi-functional design replaces what would traditionally require separate dedicated heat exchangers for each function.
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 reduces energy consumption, costs, and weight by allowing a smaller capacity water pump, enhances thermal management, and improves fuel economy by providing directed coolant flows, eliminating the need for electric pumps and separate heat exchangers, while enabling quicker engine warm-up and reduced emissions.
Implementation Method 1
a two-plate valve operated by a wax motor or electric motor, which directs coolant flows
Implementation Method 2
a mechanically driven impeller type water pump
Implementation Method 3
passed through a heat exchanger to dissipate waste heat to the surrounding atmosphere
Implementation Method 4
a heat exchanger for heating or cooling lubricating oil of the engine
Implementation Method 5
a water jacket in the engine block, the water jacket connected between one of said inlet ports and one of said outlet parts; a water jacket in the engine cylinder head
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system for internal combustion engines provides directed flows of heated or cooled coolant to various engine components and/or accessories as needed. By providing directed flows, the overall coolant flow volume is reduced from that of conventional cooling systems, allowing for a smaller capacity water pump to be employed which results in a net energy savings for the engine. Further, by reducing the overall coolant flow volume, the hoses and/or galleries required for the directed flows are reduced from those of conventional cooling systems, providing a cost savings and a weight savings. Finally, by preferably employing an impellor type water pump, the expense of an electric water pump and its associated control circuitry can be avoided. The direct flows are established by a multifunction valve which, in a preferred implementation, comprises a two-plate valve wherein each plate is operated by a wax motor.