Air inlet assembly for an internal combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016245153-A1
Application number	US-201514626054-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 19, 2015
Priority date	Feb 19, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An internal combustion engine includes a cylinder block that defines a cylinder and a cylinder head mounted to the cylinder block. The engine additionally includes a gas compressor configured to selectively pressurize air being received from the ambient for delivery to the cylinder. The engine also includes an intake valve that is operatively connected to the cylinder head and controls delivery of the selectively pressurized air to the cylinder for combustion therein. Furthermore, the engine includes an air inlet assembly arranged between the intake valve and the compressor. The air inlet assembly is configured to supply the pressurized air to the cylinder and includes at least one passage configured to collect a condensate from the pressurized air. A vehicle having such an engine is also disclosed.

First claim

1 . An internal combustion engine comprising:
a cylinder block defining a cylinder; a cylinder head mounted to the cylinder block; a gas compressor configured to selectively pressurize air being received from the ambient for delivery to the cylinder; an intake valve operatively connected to the cylinder head and configured to control delivery of the selectively pressurized air to the cylinder for combustion therein; and an air inlet assembly arranged between the intake valve and the gas compressor, configured to supply the pressurized air to the cylinder, and including at least one passage configured to collect a condensate from the pressurized air.

2 . The engine of claim 1 , wherein the air inlet assembly includes a charge-air cooler configured to cool the pressurized air prior to delivery thereof to the cylinder, wherein the charge-air cooler includes a hot-side plenum configured to receive the pressurized air aft of the compressor and a cold-side plenum configured to discharge the pressurized air, and wherein the at least one passage of the air inlet assembly includes a first passage arranged at least partially in the cold-side plenum and configured to direct the condensate to the intake valve.

3 . The engine of claim 2 , wherein the charge-air cooler is configured as one of an air-to-air and an air-to-liquid intercooler.

4 . The engine of claim 2 , wherein the charge-air cooler includes a heat exchanger section configured to cool the pressurized air aft of the compressor, and wherein the heat exchanger section includes a feature arranged to direct the condensate toward the first passage.

5 . The engine of claim 4 , wherein the feature of the heat exchanger section is a floor of the heat exchanger section.

6 . The engine of claim 4 , wherein the feature may be arranged at an angle relative to a horizontal plane.

7 . The engine of claim 6 , wherein the angle of the feature is equal to or greater than 5 degrees relative to the horizontal plane.

8 . The engine of claim 2 , wherein:
the air inlet assembly includes a hot-side duct fluidly connecting the hot-side plenum to the compressor and a cold-side duct connecting the cold-side plenum to the cylinder; the first passage extends into the cold-side duct; and the at least one passage includes a second passage arranged in the hot-side plenum and in fluid communication with the first passage.

9 . The engine of claim 8 , wherein:
the cylinder includes a plurality of cylinders; the air inlet assembly includes an intake manifold configured to distribute the pressurized air among the plurality of cylinders; the cold-side duct is incorporated into the intake manifold; and the intake manifold is fluidly connected to the charge-air cooler such that the first passage is aligned with the second passage.

10 . The engine of claim 8 , wherein the engine includes a plurality of intake valves and the first passage includes a plurality of sipes, such that each of the plurality of sipes directs the condensate toward each of the plurality of intake valves.

11 . A vehicle comprising:
a road wheel; and an internal combustion engine configured to generate torque for driving the road wheel, the engine having:
a cylinder block defining a cylinder;
a cylinder head mounted to the cylinder block;
a gas compressor configured to selectively pressurize air being received from the ambient for delivery to the cylinder;
an intake valve operatively connected to the cylinder head and configured to control delivery of the selectively pressurized air to the cylinder for combustion therein; and
an air inlet assembly arranged between the intake valve and the gas compressor, configured to supply the pressurized air to the cylinder, and including at least one passage configured to collect a condensate from the pressurized air.

12 . The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the air inlet assembly includes a charge-air cooler configured to cool the pressurized air prior to delivery thereof to the cylinder, wherein the charge-air cooler includes a hot-side plenum configured to receive the pressurized air aft of the compressor and a cold-side plenum configured to discharge the pressurized air, and wherein the at least one passage of the air inlet assembly includes a first passage arranged at least partially in the cold-side plenum and configured to direct the condensate to the intake valve.

13 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the charge-air cooler is configured as one of an air-to-air and an air-to-liquid intercooler.

14 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the charge-air cooler includes a heat exchanger section configured to cool the pressurized air aft of the compressor, and wherein the heat exchanger section includes a feature arranged to direct the condensate toward the first passage.

15 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the feature of the heat exchanger section is a floor of the heat exchanger section.

16 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the feature may be arranged at an angle relative to a horizontal plane when the vehicle is positioned on a level surface.

17 . The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the angle of the feature is equal to or greater than 5 degrees relative to the horizontal plane.

18 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein;
the air inlet assembly includes a hot-side duct fluidly connecting the hot-side plenum to the compressor and a cold-side duct connecting the cold-side plenum to the cylinder; the first passage extends into the cold-side duct; and the at least one passage includes a second passage arranged in the hot-side plenum and in fluid communication with the first passage.

19 . The vehicle of claim 18 , wherein:
the cylinder includes a plurality of cylinders; the air inlet assembly includes an intake manifold configured to distribute the pressurized air among the plurality of cylinders; the cold-side duct is incorporated into the intake manifold; and the intake manifold is fluidly connected to the charge-air cooler such that the first passage is aligned with the second passage.

20 . The engine of claim 18 , wherein the engine includes a plurality of intake valves and the first passage includes a plurality of sipes, such that each of the plurality of sipes directs the condensate toward each of the plurality of intake valves.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc
• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Hayman Alan W
• Douse Eric C

Classifications

• F02B29/0468 Primary

  Water separation or drainage means · CPC title

• F02B29/0406

  Layout of the intake air cooling or coolant circuit · CPC title

• F02M35/10157 Primary

  Supercharged engines · CPC title

• F02M35/10072

  Intake runners · CPC title

• F02B29/0425

  Air cooled heat exchangers · CPC title