Diverter fittings for cooling systems of an engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11525385-B2
Application number	US-202016789844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2020
Priority date	Feb 13, 2020
Publication date	Dec 13, 2022
Grant date	Dec 13, 2022

Abstract

A passive diverter fitting for a cooling system of an engine includes a base defining an interior cavity, an inlet opening extending through the base that is in fluid communication with the interior cavity, an outlet opening that is in fluid communication with the interior cavity, and a bypass opening that is in fluid communication with the interior cavity. The base is configured to be removably disposed in a cavity of an engine block. The inlet opening is positioned to receive coolant when the passive diverter fitting is disposed in the cavity of the engine block. The outlet opening is in fluid communication with the area exterior to the engine block when the passive diverter fitting is disposed in the cavity of the engine block. The bypass opening is in fluid communication with an interior coolant passage of the engine block when the passive diverter fitting is disposed in the cavity of the engine block.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A passive diverter fitting for a cooling system of an engine, the engine comprising an engine block defining a block interior coolant passage, a cavity in fluid communication with the block interior coolant passage, and a return opening in fluid communication with the block interior coolant passage,
the passive diverter fitting comprising:
a base defining an interior cavity of the passive diverter fitting, wherein the base is configured to be removably disposed in the cavity of the engine block such that an entirety of the passive diverter fitting fits within the cavity of the engine block;
an inlet opening extending through the base such that the inlet opening is in fluid communication with the interior cavity of the passive diverter fitting, wherein the inlet opening is positioned to receive coolant when the passive diverter fitting is disposed in the cavity of the engine block;
an outlet opening in fluid communication with the interior cavity of the passive diverter fitting, wherein the outlet opening is in fluid communication with an area exterior to the engine block when the passive diverter fitting is disposed in the cavity of the engine block; and
a bypass opening extending through the base such that the bypass opening is in fluid communication with the interior cavity of the passive diverter fitting, wherein the bypass opening is in fluid communication with the block interior coolant passage when the passive diverter fitting is disposed in the cavity of the engine block, and wherein coolant received in the interior cavity of the passive diverter fitting via the inlet opening is split, such that a first portion of the coolant moves through the outlet opening and a second portion of the coolant moves through the bypass opening.

2. The passive diverter fitting according to claim 1 , wherein the engine block comprises an oil cooler cavity on an exterior surface of the engine block, and wherein the inlet opening of the passive diverter fitting is in fluid communication with the oil cooler cavity when the passive diverter fitting is disposed in the cavity of the engine block.

3. The passive diverter fitting according to claim 1 , wherein the base comprises at least one of iron or plastic.

4. The passive diverter fitting according to claim 1 , wherein a first area defined by the bypass opening is between about 5% and about 25% of a second area defined by the outlet opening.

5. The passive diverter fitting according to claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a cylindrical wall, an open first end, and a closed second end; and wherein the inlet opening and the bypass opening each extend through the cylindrical wall.

6. The passive diverter fitting according to claim 5 , wherein the bypass opening is a drilled hole that extends through the cylindrical wall of the base.

7. The passive diverter fitting according to claim 6 , wherein the inlet opening is positioned such that the inlet opening is between about 150 degrees and about 210 degrees away from the bypass opening with respect to the cylindrical wall of the base.

8. An engine block assembly, comprising:
an engine block defining a block interior coolant passage;
a cavity disposed in the engine block, the cavity comprising a receiving opening for receiving coolant, an inner opening that is in fluid communication with the block interior coolant passage, and an outer opening that is in fluid communication with an area exterior to the engine block; and
a passive diverter fitting disposed in the cavity of the engine block, the passive diverter fitting comprising a base defining an interior cavity, an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and a bypass opening, wherein the inlet opening is in fluid communication with the receiving opening of the cavity of the engine block, wherein the outlet opening is in fluid communication with the outer opening of the cavity of the engine block, and wherein the bypass opening is in fluid communication with the inner opening of the cavity of the engine block, wherein
the base comprises a cylindrical wall, an open first end, and a closed second end, wherein the inlet opening and the bypass opening each extend through the cylindrical wall, and wherein coolant received in the interior cavity of the passive diverter fitting via the inlet opening is split, such that a first portion of the coolant moves through the outlet opening and a second portion of the coolant moves through the bypass opening.

9. The engine block assembly according to claim 8 , wherein an entirety of the passive diverter fitting is removably disposed in the cavity of the engine block.

10. The engine block assembly according to claim 8 , wherein a first area defined by the bypass opening of the passive diverter fitting is between about 5% and about 25% of a second area defined by the outlet opening of the passive diverter fitting.

11. The engine block assembly according to claim 8 , further comprising an oil cooler cavity, wherein the receiving opening of the cavity of the engine block is in fluid communication with the oil cooler cavity.

12. A cooling system, comprising:
a pump for pumping coolant through the cooling system;
an engine comprising an engine block, wherein the engine block comprises a block interior coolant passage, a cavity, and a return opening, wherein the cavity is in fluid communication with the block interior coolant passage and an area exterior to the engine block, wherein the return opening is in fluid communication with the block interior coolant passage and the area exterior to the engine block;
a passive diverter fitting disposed in its entirety in the cavity of the engine block, the passive diverter fitting comprising a base defining an interior cavity, an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and a bypass opening, wherein the inlet opening extends through the base and is in fluid communication with the pump, wherein the outlet opening is in fluid communication with the inlet opening, and wherein the bypass opening extends through the base and is in fluid communication with the inlet opening and the block interior coolant passage;
an external cooler having an inlet passage in fluid communication with the outlet opening of the passive diverter fitting and an outlet passage in fluid communication with the return opening of the engine block; and
a radiator in fluid communication with the engine block and the pump;
wherein the pump is configured to pump coolant through the passive diverter fitting such that a first portion of the coolant moves through the outlet opening of the passive diverter fitting and into the external cooler and a second portion of the coolant moves through the bypass opening of the passive diverter fitting and into the block interior coolant passage.

13. The cooling system according to claim 12 , further comprising an oil cooler disposed between the pump and the engine block.

14. The cooling system according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a thermostat housing disposed between the engine block and the radiator, wherein the thermostat housing is in fluid communication with the engine block;
a thermostat disposed in the thermostat housing; and
a bypass line disposed between the thermostat housing and the pump, wherein the bypass line is in fluid communication with the pump.

15. The cooling system according to claim 14 , wherein the thermostat is configured to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein the thermostat housing is in fluid communication with the bypass line and not in fluid communication with the radiator when the thermostat is in the closed position, and wherein the therm

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Chen Allen Yao
• Heintz Aaron Gary
• Van Farowe Jason Lee
• Atwell Thomas L
• Schuricht Scott R
• Barke Lance Clay
• Konatham Phani Chandar Reddy
• Dara Vijaya Krishna

Classifications

• F01M2005/004

  Oil-cooled engines · CPC title

• F01P5/10

  Pumping liquid coolant; Arrangements of coolant pumps · CPC title

• F01P2003/021

  Cooling cylinders · CPC title

• F01P7/14 Primary

  the coolant being liquid · CPC title

• F01P3/20

  Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine (F01P3/22 takes precedence) · CPC title