Shuttle valve assembly and method for intercooler condensation removal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9422855-B2
Application number	US-201314104971-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2013
Priority date	Dec 12, 2013
Publication date	Aug 23, 2016
Grant date	Aug 23, 2016

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for removing condensate from an intercooler of a turbocharged internal combustion engine. Using valves to drain condensate may create a direct fluidic connection between the compressed air of the intercooler and ambient exterior air, allowing both condensate and compressed air to escape due to valve design or failure of valve actuation devices. To provide a simple and reliable method for removing condensate without removing compressed air, a hollow valve is used to shuttle condensate from the intercooler to the exterior environment.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An engine method, comprising:
collecting condensate from an intercooler into a collection region;
moving the condensate through an orifice into a cavity of a hollow valve in a first position;
shuttling the hollow valve to a second position to release the condensate to an exterior side of the intercooler, wherein shuttling includes the hollow valve moving linearly through a cavity in a bottom side of the collection region, and
continuously removing the condensate from the intercooler via cycles relative to a predetermined pressure threshold, wherein a fixed volume of condensate is shuttled from the collection region via the hollow valve during each cycle.

2. The engine method of claim 1 , wherein the exterior side is in open communication with ambient pressure, wherein there is no direct fluidic connection between compressed air in the intercooler and ambient air located on the exterior side of the intercooler.

3. The engine method of claim 1 , wherein the first position is a more vertical position.

4. The engine method of claim 1 , wherein the second position is a less vertical position.

5. The engine method of claim 1 , wherein the condensate travels into the hollow valve via the orifice before being shuttled to the exterior side of the intercooler to be released, the condensate driven at least partially via gravity in both cases.

6. The engine method of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the hollow valve is actuated by a magnitude of compressed air pressure in the intercooler being less or greater than a reaction force maintained by the hollow valve, the magnitude of compressed air pressure corresponding to a boosted or non-boosted intercooler pressure state.

7. The engine method of claim 6 , wherein the non-boosted pressure state includes an engine idling condition causing a decrease in air pressure within the intercooler.

8. The engine method of claim 6 , wherein the boosted pressure state includes an increase in air pressure within the intercooler greater than ambient pressure.

9. The engine method of claim 7 , wherein upon achieving the non-boosted pressure state in the intercooler, the hollow valve moves to the first position, the first position being where the hollow valve is projecting into the intercooler, allowing condensate to flow into the cavity of the hollow valve via the orifice.

10. The engine method of claim 8 , wherein upon achieving the boosted pressure state in the intercooler, the hollow valve moves to the second position, the second position being where the hollow valve is projecting into the exterior side of the intercooler, allowing condensate to flow out of the cavity of the hollow valve via the orifice.

11. A valve assembly located in an intercooler of an engine, comprising:
a moveable, hollow valve comprising a main body and two caps, the two caps located on a top and a bottom of the main body;
a condensate collection container surrounding the valve, the valve only partially protruding through a bottom of the collection container;
a first spring positioned between the top cap and a first side of a lower surface of the collection container;
a second spring positioned between the bottom cap and a second, opposite side of the lower surface of the collection container, wherein the first spring and the second spring are positioned in between the top cap and the bottom cap; and
the hollow valve further comprising an internal chamber for condensate collection coupled to an orifice through which condensate travels, wherein at a first position, the first spring pushes the hollow valve such that a majority of the hollow valve is in the collection container to collect condensate, and wherein at a second position, the second spring pushes the hollow valve such that the majority of the hollow valve is projected on an exterior side of the intercooler to drain condensate.

12. The valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein the hollow valve is located at a center of the collection container.

13. The valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein the condensate collection container is mounted to a bottom surface of the intercooler.

14. The valve assembly of claim 11 , wherein the hollow valve is a pressure-activated mechanical valve.

15. The valve assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a heating element in close proximity to the condensate collection container.

16. An engine system, comprising:
a turbocharger;
an intake manifold;
an intercooler coupled upstream of the intake manifold and downstream of a compressor of the turbocharger;
a valve assembly attached to a bottom surface of the intercooler, comprising a hollow valve to control a discharge of condensate from the intercooler, wherein the hollow valve fills with condensate in a closed position and drains condensate in an open position; and
a control unit with computer readable instructions for operating the hollow valve during an engine condition, wherein the valve assembly operates to continuously remove condensate without forming a direct fluidic communication between compressed air in the intercooler and exterior ambient air.

17. The engine system of claim 16 , wherein moving the hollow valve removes condensate from the intercooler to an exterior side of the intercooler.

18. The engine system of claim 16 , wherein the engine condition includes prolonged throttling greater than a threshold or idling where intercooler pressure does not substantially vary such that the hollow valve does not shift to remove condensate.

19. The engine system of claim 18 , further comprising an electronic actuator attached to the valve assembly, where the electronic actuator operates the valve assembly when the intercooler pressure is nearly constant.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Basile James M
• Skrobowski Joseph
• Willis Scott

Classifications

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title

• Y02T10/146

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F02B29/0468 Primary

  Water separation or drainage means · CPC title

• Y10T137/0379

  By fluid pressure · CPC title

• Y10T137/7922

  Spring biased · CPC title