| EP0081716A1 | 1983-06-22 | |||
| EP0249718A2 | 1987-12-23 | |||
| US2301433A | 1942-11-10 | |||
| US4269158A | 1981-05-26 |
| 1. | (1) A method of improving the combustion reaction efficiency of a fluidfuel type combustion engine comprising precooling air en route to the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine upstream of the combustion chamber inlet by way of cooling equipment that is already used for another purpose relating to use of the internal combustion engine. (2) A method as claimed in claim 1 that involves precooling the air along conventional air conditioning equipment driven from and coupled to run in conjunction with the engine while being used, when desired, for conventional cooling purposes as well. |
| 2. | (3) A method as claimed in claim. |
| 3. | that comprises precooling the air along vehicular cabin air conditioning equipment as driven by the engine of a vehicle so fitted. (4) Air cooiing equipment installable to markedly precool the intake air of a fluidfuel type combustion engine comprising heatexchange means fitted with appropriate connections to enable its installation both upstream of the air intake of such engine and along a closed heat exchange circuit of appropriate cooling capacity that is arranged to run in conjunction with such engine, thereby to cause the cooling of air en route to such air intake owing to passing along the heat exchange means prior to reaching the air intake of such engine, once the equipment is installed and such engine and heat exchange circuit are operational. |
| 4. | (5) Air cooling equipment as claimed in claim. |
| 5. | in which the heat exchange means is in the form of at least one heat exchange unit including a core providing heat exchange fluid flow tubing passing generally radiator fashion along a fin layout and as fitted to a housing with the core being arranged to promote the transfer of heat from air, as passing along an air flow path extending along the housing via the core, to conventionally circulating heat exchange fluid, as also circulating along the tubing, once the unit, as operatively fitted, is in use, the unit making provision for the sealable interspacing of its tubes at the appropriate location along a closed heat exchange circuit, as so arranged to run in conjunction with a fluidfuel type combustion engine into which the equipment is assemblable, and at least an appropriate air path outlet connection to air flow fashion connect the air flow outlet of the unit to the air inlet of such engine. (6) Air cooling equipment as claimed in claim 5 in which the core, as fitted to the housing, extends slabfashion while the air flow path there along, as extending between the upstream air inlet and the downstream air outlet of the unit, extends between opposite ends of the core, the heat exchange tubes and the fins of the core being arranged to promote the exchange of heat between air passing substantially unobstructedly along the air path and the fluid of the heat exchange circuit once the equipment is in operative use. |
| 6. | (7) Air cooling equipment as claimed in claim. |
| 7. | in which the heat exchange tubes, as fitted in parallel fluid carrying relationship with respect to one another between an upstream supply tube and a downstream discharge tube, extend staggeredly with respect to one another and substantially transverse to the air flow path. (8) Air cooling equipment as claimed in claim 7 in which the upstream supply tube and the downstream fluid removal tube extend adjacent one another along the same side of the core with each heat exchange tube passing through at least one bend between the supply and discharge tubes. |
| 8. | (9) Air cooling equipment as claimed in claim. |
| 9. | in which each heat exchange tube comprises four parallel sections linked by appropriate bends. (10) Air cooling equipment as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 10 that includes appropriate connection conduit material and tubing for enabling the operative installation of the heat exchange means and, where required, control equipment to appropriately regulate the flow of heat exchange fluid along a heat exchange circuit along which the heating means is interspaced once the equipment is in used. (11) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine also used for driving a closed heat exchange circuit though not necessarily at all running times of the engine, fitted with aircooling equipment comprising heatexchange means fitted with appropriate connections by means of which it is, one the one hand, spaced upstream of the air intake of the engine and, one the other hand, sealably interspaced along the heat exchange circuit of the air cooling equipment at an evaporator position along the circuit that, if desired, is also employable for other cooling purposes, the cooling equipment during operation of the heat exchange circuit thus removing heat from air passing there along en route to the intake of the engine thereby to supply cooled air at the intake of the engine once the heat exchange circuit is in use. (12) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in claim 11 in which the heat exchange means is in the form of at least one heat exchange unit including a core providing heat exchange fluid tubing passing generally radiator fashion along a fin layout and as fitted to a housing with the core and fin layout being arranged to promote the transfer of heat from air, as passing along an air flow path extending via the core along the housing, to the heat exchange fluid, as conventionally circulating along the tubing as interspaced along the heat exchange circuit, once the engine is running while the heat exchange circuit is operational. (13) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in claim 12 in which the core, as fitted to the housing, extends slabfashion while the air flow path there along, as extending between the upstream air inlet and the downstream air outlet of the unit, extends between opposite ends of the core, the heat exchange tubes and the fins of the core being arranged to promote the exchange of heat between air passing substantially unobstructedly along the air flow path and the fluid of the heat exchange circuit once the engine is running while the heat exchange circuit is in operative use. (14) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in 13 in which the heat exchange tubes, as fitted in parallel fluid carrying relationship with respect to one another between an upstream supply tube and a downstream discharge tube, extend staggeredly with respect to one another and substantially transverse to the air flow path. (15) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in claim 14 in which the upstream supply tube and the downstream discharge tube extend adjacent one another along the same side of the core with each heat exchange tube extending through at least one bend between the supply and discharge tubes. (16) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in claim 15 in which each heat exchange tube comprises four parallel sections linked by appropriate bends. (17) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 16 in which, where the engine is fitted with a turbobooster, the heat exchange circuit is fitted with at least once piece of aircooling equipment and in the case of more than one, then all not necessarily located on the same side of the turbobooster with respect to the air intake position of the engine. (18) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in any one of claims 17 in which the aircooling equipment is interspaced between the turbobooster and the intake of the engine. (19) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in anyone of claims 11 to 18 that is fitted to drive a transporting facility. (20) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in claim 19 that is fitted to drive a transporting facility fitted with a heat exchange circuit in the form of conventional air conditioning equipment for use in cooling a desired compartment of the facility while also being used for the precooling of air to the engine via the air cooling equipment as thus appropriately interspaced along the circuit of the air conditioning equipment of which the fluid flow conduit is appropriately branched to enable its dual use as both an air intake pre cooler and a transporting facility compartmental cooler. (21) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in claim 20 in which provision is made for independent operation of the air conditioning equipment in performing a compartmental cooling function and for performing an engine intake precooling function with the circuit making provision for its proper operation even if only used to perform a intake air pre cooling function. (22) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in claim 21 fitted to drive a transporting facility in the form of a passenger carrying vehicle in which provision is made for activation and closure of the air conditioning equipment in compartmental cooling by means of a solenoid switch operating a valve suitably interspaced along the circuit for controlling the flow of heat exchange fluid along the fluid flow line branch serving the passenger compartment with the switch being both manually operable for activation and closure of flow along this branch and conventionally automatically regulatable in response to compartmental temperature variation. (23) A fluidfuel driven combustion engine as claimed in any one of claims 20 to 22 in which the air conditioning equipment is appropriately arranged to cause its concurrent running with the engine resulting, in the appropriate case, in the simultaneous use of the air cooling equipment. |
(3) FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method of improving the combustion reaction efficiency of a fluid- fuel type combustion engine, air cooling equipment installable to markedly pre-cool the intake air of a fluid-fuel type combustion engine and a fluid-fuel driven combustion engine also used for driving a closed heat exchange circuit fitted with the air-cooling equipment.
(4) PRIOR ART DESCRIPTION Pre-cooling of air to improve the combustion reaction of a turbo-boosted and normally aspirated engine is already known. The pre-cooling technique used at present makes use of exchanging the heat of the air that has become so heated by the turbo-boosting process with environmental air. The disadvantage of this process is that environmental air is at ambient temperature thus limiting the pre-cooling effect. The techniques known to the
applicant also require the cooling equipment to be in motion thus only performing their function when a vehicle fitted therewith is travelling.
(5) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings Figure 1 shows in side elevation air-cooling equipment in the form of heat exchange means as provided by a heat exchange unit omitting the side cover of the unit, Figure 2 shows the unit in end view along view direction A-A in figure 1, Figure 3 shows the unit as viewed along view direction B-B in figure 1, Figure 4 shows the unit as viewed along view direction C-C in figure 1, and Figure 5 in block diagram form shows the unit as forming part of a fluid-fuel driven combustion engine in the form of a turbo boosted internal combustion engine used for powering an air conditioned vehicle.
(6) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to figures 1 to 4 of the drawings air-cooling equipment in the form of heat exchange means as provided by a generally slab shaped heat exchange unit is generally indicated by numeral 10. Although not necessarily forming part thereof owing to being generally available, the equipment can also include appropriate piping and valves to enable the operative interspacing of the unit 10 to perform its air-cooling function.
The unit 10 comprises a heat transfer core 12 fitted to a housing 14 and along which unit 10 an air flow path 16 is defined for causing air to flow between an upstream air inlet 18 and a downstream air discharge 20 between opposite ends 10.1 and 10.2 of the unit 10 once
operatively fitted. The air inlet 18 is fitted with a distributor formation 19 to spread upstream air entering the unit 10 across the full end width of the core 12. The core 12 is generally vehicle radiator fashion formed thus presenting a plurality of heat exchange tubes 22 along which heat exchange fluid is caused to flow once the unit 10 is in use. The heat exchange tubes 22 as supported in a heat exchange fin layout 24 extending between end supports 25, each extends between an upstream supply tube 26 and a downstream discharge tube 28 as more clearly shown in figures 2 to 4. The tubes 26 and 28 pass sealably through the wall of the housing 14. The unit 10 is sealably installable along a closed heat exchange circuit in the form of the air conditioning system of a vehicle so fitted, and discussed in more detail below, via the tubes 26 and 28.
As more clearly shown in figures 2 to 4 the tubes 22 extend in parallel heat exchange fluid flow relationship between their common upstream supply and a downstream discharge tubes 26 and 28 respectively while each extends transverse to the air flow path 16 between the tubes 26 and 28. The upstream supply and downstream discharge tubes 26 and 28 are situated along the end region of the same side of the core 12. Each tube 22 extends convolutedly along a number of straight sections 22.1 joined by bends 22.2. Successive tubes 22 are secured along opposite sides of the upstream supply and downstream discharge tubes 26 and 28 respectively as clearly seen in figures 2 and 4 at joining positions 30. As clearly shown in figure 2 this results in their staggered positioning across the airflow path 16. This tube layout promotes the exchange of heat between air passing along the air flow path 16 and heat exchange fluid flowing along the tubes 22 once the unit 10 is in use owing to promoting turbulence in air flowing along the path 16.
Referring also to figure 5 the air supply layout and air conditioning equipment heat exchange circuit of a fluid-fuel driven combustion engine in the form of a turbo boosted internal combustion engine used for powering an air-conditioned vehicle that is fitted with the unit 10, is generally indicated by reference numeral 40.
The unit 10 is thus fitted between the turbo-booster 42 of the engine and its air intake position 44 on passing to the combustion facility 46. The conventional heat exchange circuit 48 of the air conditioning equipment, as only shown by way of a circuit line 50 passing along the conventional equipment represented by box 52, is fitted with a branched line 54 to also
enable heat exchange fluid to pass along the unit 10. The branched fluid flow line 54 thus joins and leaves the unit 10 via tubes 26 and 28 respectively. Although not shown the unit 10 can also be fitted ahead of the turbo-booster 42. A unit 10 can, in fact, be fitted ahead of the booster 42 and another unit 10 between the booster 42 and the air intake position 44.
As it is often useful to always have the unit 10 concurrently operational with the engine the activation circuitry of the heat exchange circuit 48 of the air conditioning equipment is rearranged as compared to its conventional arrangement. The power supply to the compressor of the circuit 48 is selected to cause its commencement of operation by way of its conventional electromagnetic engagement on starting of the engine. As it is not always necessary to use the air conditioning equipment for cooling the passenger compartment, the fluid flow line 50.1 passing along the evaporator that is used for cooling the passenger compartment branches from a manually operable solenoid valve 56 used for opening and closing the flow of heat exchange fluid along the line 50.1 as desired. The valve 56 is also arranged to be adjusted by a temperature sensor that controls its setting according to the temperature in the compartment as desirably set.
While the unit 10 serves as evaporator in cooling down air passing to the engine air intake the branched line 54 is fitted with appropriate heat exchange circuit equipment such as an expansion valve 58, to enable its independent use.
In the case where the possibility exists that the unit 10 can cool down the temperature of the air to too a low level the sub-circuit of the unit 10 can also include conventional heat exchange fluid flow controlling equipment to either control the flow rate of heat exchange fluid along the unit 10 or to close it off by either closure of a valve or by disengagement of the compressor. In the latter case the compressor will naturally not always run in conjunction with the engine, as discussed above.
In use environmental air thus enters the turbo-booster 42 and passes along the unit 10 to the air intake 44 of the engine along arrow 60.
The equipment of the invention is very useful in reducing the temperature of engine intake air and in particular in the case of turbo-boosted engines. Turbo boosting causes pre-
compression of atmospheric air prior to reaching the air intake of the engine. Compression, however, has the effect of substantially increasing the temperature of the air even so much as up to 170 degrees C. It has been found that the use of the equipment of the invention in conjunction with conventional air conditioning equipment as fitted to a turbo-boosted vehicle reduces the air intake temperature down to in as low as 35 degrees C and even lower. A low air temperature naturally means more dense air and coupled with its pre-compression the intake air so treated markedly improves the efficiency of the combustion reaction. The extra power required to drive the heat exchange fluid flow circuit along the equipment of the invention is more than compensated for by the increase in combustion efficiency. The improved combustion efficiency is naturally reflected in a more powerful and fuel efficient combustion power plant. An additional advantage of the invention as specifically described and where the heat exchange circuit is arranged to be operational in conjunction with the engine is that the compressor in such case caused to run at all times while the engine is running. This reduces wear and tear on compressor that is otherwise the case when running intermittently on using the air conditioning equipment of the vehicle.