Exhaust scavenging system for an engine system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10415517-B2
Application number	US-201715852308-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2017
Priority date	Dec 22, 2017
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an exhaust scavenging system for an engine system including an engine enclosed in an engine enclosure and an air intake system including an air filter having a filter element for filtering air. The exhaust scavenging system includes an exhaust conduit, a venturi, and a valve system. The exhaust conduit is coupled to the engine and is configured to receive exhaust gas discharged by the engine. The venturi is associated with the exhaust conduit and operates to generate a suction to draw air from the air filter and the engine enclosure. The valve system is configured to selectively fluidly connect the venturi with the engine enclosure or the air filter. The valve system fluidly connects the venturi with the air filter for facilitating purging of the filter element of the air filter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An exhaust scavenging system for an engine system having an engine enclosed inside an engine enclosure and an air intake system including an air filter having a filter element for filtering air, the exhaust scavenging system comprising:
an exhaust conduit coupled to the engine and configured to receive exhaust gas discharged by the engine;
a venturi associated with the exhaust conduit and operating to generate a suction to draw air from the air filter and the engine enclosure; and
a valve system configured to selectively fluidly connect the venturi with the engine enclosure or the air filter, wherein the valve system fluidly connects the venturi with the air filter for facilitating purging of the filter element of the air filter.

2. The exhaust scavenging system of claim 1 , wherein the valve system includes a three-way valve configured to move to a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the three-way valve fluidly connects the venturi with the air filter and in the second position, the three-way valve fluidly connects the venturi with the engine enclosure for facilitating inlet of air inside the engine enclosure.

3. The exhaust scavenging system of claim 2 , further including a controller in communication with the three-way valve and the air intake system, the controller configured to
determine an initiation of the purging of the filter element, and
move the three-way valve to the first position to fluidly connect the venturi with the air filter when the initiation of the purging of the filter element is determined.

4. The exhaust scavenging system of claim 3 , wherein the air intake system further including
an air reservoir configured to store air at a pressure and configured to provide air from the air reservoir to the air filter for facilitating the purging of the filter element, and
a control valve configured to control flow of air from the air reservoir to the air filter, wherein
the controller is configured to determine the initiation of the purging of the filter element by detecting a voltage signal receivable by the control valve associated with an opening of the control valve, wherein the opening of the control valve permits the flow of air from the air reservoir to the air filter.

5. The exhaust scavenging system of claim 2 , further including a controller in communication with the three-way valve and the air intake system, the controller configured to
determine a clogging of the filter element, and
move the three-way valve to the first position to fluidly connect the venturi with the air filter when the clogging of the filter element is above a first clogging threshold.

6. The exhaust scavenging system of claim 5 , wherein the clogging of the filter element is determined by detecting a pressure differential across the filter element.

7. The exhaust scavenging system of claim 2 , wherein the three-way valve is a solenoid actuated valve.

8. An engine system, comprising:
an engine enclosure;
an engine enclosed inside the engine enclosure;
an air intake system including an air filter having a filter element for filtering air;
an exhaust conduit coupled to the engine and configured to receive exhaust gas discharged by the engine;
a venturi associated with the exhaust conduit and operating to generate a suction to draw air from the air filter and the engine enclosure; and
a valve system configured to selectively fluidly connect the venturi with the engine enclosure or the air filter, wherein the valve system fluidly connects the venturi with the air filter for facilitating purging of the filter element of the air filter.

9. The engine system of claim 8 , wherein the valve system includes a three-way valve configured to move to a first position and a second position, wherein in the first position, the three-way valve fluidly connects the venturi with the air filter and in the second position, the three-way valve fluidly connects the venturi with the engine enclosure for facilitating inlet of air inside the engine enclosure.

10. The engine system of claim 9 , further including a controller in communication with the three-way valve and the air intake system, the controller configured to
determine an initiation of the purging of the filter element, and
move the three-way valve to the first position to fluidly connect the venturi with the air filter when the initiation of the purging of the filter element is determined.

11. The engine system of claim 10 , wherein the air intake system further including
an air reservoir configured to store air at a pressure and configured to provide air from the air reservoir to the air filter for facilitating the purging of the filter element, and
a control valve configured to control flow of air from the air reservoir to the air filter, wherein
the controller is configured to determine the initiation of the purging of the filter element by detecting a voltage signal receivable by the control valve associated with an opening of the control valve, wherein the opening of the control valve permits the flow of air from the air reservoir to the air filter.

12. The engine system of claim 9 , further including a controller in communication with the three-way valve and the air intake system, the controller configured to
determine a clogging of the filter element, and
move the three-way valve to the first position to fluidly connect the venturi with the air filter when the clogging of the filter element is above a first clogging threshold.

13. The engine system of claim 11 , wherein the clogging of the filter element is determined by detecting a pressure differential across the filter element.

14. The engine system of claim 9 , wherein the three-way valve is a solenoid actuated valve.

15. A method for operating an engine system, the engine system including an engine enclosed inside an engine enclosure, an exhaust conduit coupled to the engine to receive exhaust gas discharged by the engine, and an air filter having a filter element to filter air being provided to the engine, the method comprising:
generating a suction by a venturi associated with the exhaust conduit to draw air from the air filter and the engine enclosure, wherein the suction is generated due to passage of exhaust gas through the venturi; and
controlling a three-way valve to selectively control flow of air from the air filter or the engine enclosure to the venturi due to the suction generated by the venturi, wherein
the three-way valve is moved to a first position to enable the flow of air from the air filter to the venturi for facilitating a purging of the filter element, and
the three-way valve is moved to a second position to enable the flow of air from the engine enclosure to the venturi for facilitating an inlet of air into the engine enclosure.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising
determining, by a controller, an initiation of the purging of the filter element, and
moving the three-way valve to the first position to fluidly connect the venturi with the air filter when the initiation of the purging of the filter element is determined.

17. The method of claim 16 , further including
storing air, by an air reservoir, at a pressure and providing air from the air reservoir to the air filter for facilitating the purging of the filter element, and
controlling flow of air from the air reservoir to the air filter, wherein
the initiation of the purging of the filter element is determined by detecting a voltage signal receivable by a control valve associated with an opening of the con

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Hoff Brian D

Classifications

• B60K13/04

  concerning exhaust · CPC title

• B60K11/08

  Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor · CPC title

• B01D46/0042

  Use of the inlet flow in order to clean the filter surface · CPC title

• F02M35/086

  Dust removal by flushing, blasting, pulsating or aspirating flow, washing or the like; Mechanical dust removal, e.g. by using scrapers · CPC title

• F02M35/09 Primary

  Clogging indicators {; Diagnosis or testing of air cleaners (sensors therefore F02M35/10373)} · CPC title