Patent ID: 6499298
Filing Date: 2002-12-31
Classification: F02B,Y02T

Abstract:
An internal combustion engine having coolant passages therethrough, a compressor for increasing the density of inlet air thereto, an aftercooler for cooling the inlet air from the compressor and cooling apparatus comprising:a main coolant loop including a main pump, a main radiator and a main coolant conduit connecting the main pump, the engine coolant passages and the main radiator for unidirectional circulation of a liquid coolant; an aftercooler coolant loop including an aftercooler pump, an aftercooler radiator and an aftercooler conduit connecting the aftercooler pump, the aftercooler and the aftercooler radiator for unidirectional circulation of a liquid coolant, the components of the aftercooler coolant loop providing a lower coolant temperature therein than the coolant temperature provided by the components of the main coolant loop therein when coolant flows of the main and aftercooler coolant loops are maintained separate; a first linking conduit connecting a higher pressure portion of the main coolant loop with a lower pressure portion of the aftercooler coolant loop ahead of the aftercooler radiator; a second linking conduit connecting the aftercooler coolant loop with the main coolant loop after the respective radiators; a valve in one of the linking conduits and operable between closed and open positions to respectively prevent or permit-coolant flow from the main pump in the main loop through the aftercooler radiators in the aftercooler loop and back to the main loop into the main pump inlet; and a control responsive to engine and control related parameters to activate the valve to primarily maintain engine temperature below a maximum limit and to secondarily maintain a desired maximum coolant temperature differential across the aftercooler radiator.