Inter cooler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10100715-B2
Application number	US-201615159472-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2016
Priority date	May 20, 2015
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

An intercooler may include an air-outlet tank, a condensate collector for collecting condensate separated off the intercooler, and a condensate line connected to the condensate collector via an entrance and that opens out into the air-outlet tank via an exit. There may be a pressure difference between the entrance and the exit of the condensate line during operation of the intercooler, and said pressure difference may allow differential-pressure-induced discharge of condensate from the condensate collector via the condensate line.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An intercooler comprising:
an air-outlet tank;
a condensate collector for collecting condensate separated off in the intercooler, the condensate collector being releasably connected to the air outlet tank; and
a condensate line connected to the condensate collector via an entrance and that opens out into the air-outlet tank via an exit;
wherein there is a pressure difference between the entrance and the exit of the condensate line during operation of the intercooler, and said pressure difference allows differential-pressure-induced discharge of condensate from the condensate collector via the condensate line; and
wherein the air-outlet tank includes a connector on which the condensate collector is plugged via a coupling.

2. An intercooler according to claim 1 , wherein the condensate collector is attached to the air-outlet tank.

3. An intercooler according to claim 1 , wherein the condensate collector is attached to the air-outlet tank by welding, brazing, adhesive bonding, screw-connection or clipping.

4. An intercooler according to claim 1 , wherein the condensate collector forms an integral constituent part of the air-outlet tank.

5. An intercooler according to claim 1 , wherein one of:
the exit of the condensate line projects into the air-outlet tank; or
the exit of the condensate line projects into the air-outlet tank and is bent round in a flow direction of charge air.

6. An intercooler according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
the exit of the condensate line is designed in the form of a nozzle; and
the exit of the condensate line has a diameter between 0.5 mm and 10.0 mm.

7. An intercooler according to claim 1 , further comprising a connector provided on the air-outlet tank, and via which the condensate line is attached to the air-outlet tank.

8. An intercooler according to claim 1 , further comprising a connector provided on the condensate collector, and via which the condensate line is attached to the condensate collector.

9. An intercooler according to claim 1 , wherein one of:
the condensate line runs in a wall of the air-outlet tank; or
the condensate line runs along a wall of the air-outlet tank.

10. An intercooler according to claim 1 , wherein the condensate line is formed from one of metal or plastics material.

11. An internal combustion engine comprising an intercooler having:
an air-outlet tank;
a condensate collector for collecting condensate separated off in the intercooler, the condensate collector being releasably connected to the air outlet tank; and
a condensate line connected to the condensate collector via an entrance and that opens out into the air-outlet tank via an exit;
wherein there is a pressure difference between the entrance and the exit of the condensate line during operation of the intercooler, and said pressure difference allows differential-pressure-induced discharge of condensate from the condensate collector via the condensate line; and
wherein the air-outlet tank includes a connector on which the condensate collector is plugged via a coupling.

12. An internal combustion engine according to claim 11 , wherein one of:
the exit of the condensate line projects into the air-outlet tank; or
the exit of the condensate line projects into the air-outlet tank and is bent round in a flow direction of charge air.

13. An internal combustion engine according to claim 11 , further comprising a connector provided on the air-outlet tank, and via which the condensate line is attached to the air-outlet tank.

14. An internal combustion engine according to claim 11 , further comprising a connector provided on the condensate collector, and via which the condensate line is attached to the condensate collector.

15. An internal combustion engine according to claim 11 , wherein one of:
the condensate line runs in a wall of the air-outlet tank; or
the condensate line runs along a wall of the air-outlet tank.

16. An intercooler according to claim 6 , wherein the exit of the condensate line has a diameter between 0.8 mm and 5.0 mm.

17. An intercooler according to claim 1 , wherein the condensate line is a rubber hose.

18. An intercooler comprising:
an air-outlet tank;
a condensate collector for collecting condensate separated off in the intercooler, the condensate collector being releasably attached to the air-outlet tank; and
a condensate line connected to the condensate collector via an entrance and that opens out into the air-outlet tank via an exit, the exit projecting into the air-outlet tank;
wherein there is a pressure difference between the entrance and the exit of the condensate line during operation of the intercooler, and said pressure difference allows differential-pressure-induced discharge of condensate from the condensate collector via the condensate line; and
wherein the air-outlet tank includes a connector on which the condensate collector is plugged so as to be releasably connected via a coupling.

19. An intercooler according to claim 18 , wherein the exit of the condensate line is bent round in a flow direction of charge air.

Assignees

• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Dieterle Stefan
• Strauss Thomas
• Wagner Christian

Classifications

• F28F17/005

  Means for draining condensates from heat exchangers, e.g. from evaporators (F28B9/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02T10/121

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F02M25/0222

  Water recovery or storage · CPC title

• F02M25/0225

  Water atomisers or mixers, e.g. using ultrasonic waves · CPC title

• F28D2021/0082

  Charged air coolers · CPC title