System for a charge-air-cooler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9027341-B2
Application number	US-201113185118-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2011
Priority date	Jul 18, 2011
Publication date	May 12, 2015
Grant date	May 12, 2015

Abstract

Systems and methods for a charge-air-cooler are provided. The system may include an engine air passage, a charge-air-cooler including a plurality of heat exchange passages, and a condensate collector positioned within an interior of the charge-air-cooler, wherein the condensate collector is in fluid communication with at least one heat exchange passage and the engine air passage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An engine system, comprising:
an engine air passage;
a charge-air-cooler including a plurality of heat exchange passages;
a condensate collector positioned within a charge-air-cooler interior and in fluid communication with at least one heat exchange passage and the engine air passage; and
an air capture device coupled to only a single heat exchange passage of the charge-air-cooler, angled toward the condensate collector, and including a funnel-shaped portion narrowing transversely along a flow direction.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the engine air passage is upstream from the charge-air-cooler and deposits condensate into the condensate collector.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the air capture device is coupled to the single heat exchange passage to capture and direct only a portion of charge air flowing through the charge-air-cooler to the condensate collector and wherein a portion of the air capture device proximate to the heat exchange passage is larger in cross sectional area than a portion of the air capture device distal to the heat exchange passage.

4. The system of claim 3 , further including a second engine air passage downstream of the charge-air-cooler, the second engine air passage in fluid communication with the condensate collector.

5. The system of claim 4 , further including a condensate conduit configured to receive both charge air from the air capture device and condensate droplets from the condensate collector through a common reception inlet.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the condensate conduit entrains the condensate droplets to readmit the condensate droplets to an airstream of the second engine air passage via a driving force generated by the captured charge air.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the condensate droplets are readmitted at a highpoint of the second engine air passage vertically above a low point of the charge-air-cooler, the low point being the condensate collector.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the condensate conduit includes a first portion positioned within the interior of the charge-air-cooler and a second portion positioned within an interior of the second engine air passage.

9. The system of claim 3 , wherein an airflow rate of the heat exchange passage is adjustable via a tuning vent.

10. The system of claim 3 , wherein the funnel-shaped portion of the air capture device narrows along a width of the air capture device, the width perpendicular to charge air flow through the single heat exchange passage of the charge-air-cooler, the funnel-shaped portion decreasing in cross-sectional area from the single heat exchange passage and toward the condensate collector, and wherein the air capture device further includes a jet pump nozzle angled downward and toward the condensate collector to direct air from the single heat exchange passage to the condensate collector.

11. A condensate entraining system comprising:
a charge-air-cooler including a hot side and a cold side;
an air capture device positioned within an interior cavity of the charge-air-cooler, coupled to only a single heat exchange passage of the charge-air-cooler, angled downward, toward a low point of the charge-air-cooler, to direct a driving force from the cold side and toward the low point, and including a funnel-shaped portion with a decreasing cross-sectional area, the cross-sectional area decreasing from the at least one heat exchange passage and toward the low point of the charge-air-cooler to increase a velocity of airflow as the airflow is channeled through the air capture device, the cross-sectional area defined perpendicular to flow through the funnel-shaped portion; and
a condensate conduit configured to receive condensate droplets generated by the driving force and in fluid communication with an engine air passage to readmit the condensate droplets to the engine air passage.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the condensate conduit includes a first portion to receive condensate droplets, a second portion to release condensate droplets, and a transition portion coupling the first and second portions.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first portion of the condensate conduit is positioned within the interior cavity of the charge-air-cooler and wherein the air capture device is a conduit with an inlet and outlet, the inlet and the outlet of the conduit positioned within the interior cavity of the charge-air-cooler, the conduit also wholly positioned within the interior cavity.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the air capture device is in fluid communication with a heat exchange passage at the cold side to capture ambient air as a source for the driving force, wherein the air capture device captures only a portion of charge air flowing through the charge-air-cooler, and wherein the inlet is coupled to the single heat exchange passage.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the air capture device decreases in cross-sectional area from a first portion of the air capture device proximate to the at least one heat exchange passage to a second portion of the air capture device distal from the at least one heat exchange passage.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the second portion of the condensate conduit and the transition portion are positioned within an interior of the engine air passage downstream from the charge-air-cooler.

17. A method for entraining condensate, comprising:
accumulating condensate within a charge-air-cooler;
driving accumulated condensate through a condensate conduit via an air pressure force generated by capturing only a portion of charge airflow and directing the portion of charge airflow toward a condensate collector with an air capture device, the air capture device bypassing all heat exchange passages of the charge-air-cooler and including an inlet and outlet positioned within an interior cavity of the charge-air-cooler, and a funnel-shaped portion narrowing in cross-sectional area from the inlet to the outlet, the cross-sectional area defined perpendicular to flow through the funnel-shaped portion; and
readmitting the driven condensate to an intake passage downstream of the charge-air-cooler.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the air capture device extends between a hot side and cold side of the charge-air-cooler, wherein the inlet is at the hot side and the outlet is at the cold side, wherein capturing the charge airflow includes capturing only the portion of the charge airflow from a heat exchange passage.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising directing the charge airflow to a low point of the charge-air-cooler.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the driven condensate is readmitted at a high point of the downstream intake passage, the high point vertically above and in fluid communication with a low point of the charge-air-cooler.

Assignees

• Meyer Robert Hornblower
• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Meyer Robert Hornblower

Classifications

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title

• F02M25/0707

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F02B29/0468 Primary

  Water separation or drainage means · CPC title

• Y02T10/146

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F02M26/05

  High pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust system upstream of the turbine and reintroduced into the intake system downstream of the compressor · CPC title