Patent ID: 7685819
Filing Date: 2010-03-30
Classification: F02B,F02D,F04D,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a supercharged internal combustion engine (ICE) comprising the acts of: providing an ICE having a combustion chamber; providing an intake duct configured for flowing intake air into said combustion chamber; providing a compressor having a housing and an impeller rotatably mounted inside said housing, said housing including an inflow port and an outflow port, said outflow port being fluidly connected to said intake duct; providing a vortex tube having an inlet port and a cold outlet port; providing a compressed air supply; operating said ICE; flowing compressed air from said compressed air supply into said inlet port of said vortex tube; producing a vortex air flow inside said vortex tube; separating hot and cold portions of said vortex air flow; and flowing said cold portion of air flow from said cold outlet port of said vortex tube to a location selected from the group consisting of said intake duct and said compressor housing.