COMPRESSION RELIEF VALVE

An engine includes a cylinder head and a cylinder block connected to the cylinder head at an interface. A compression relief valve is substantially inset in the cylinder head of the engine. The compression relief valve is connected to an engine control module via a wire harness. The compression relief valve includes a body having a bore. Further, the compression relief valve includes a needle inset in the bore. The compression relief valve includes a compression relief valve sensor assembly disposed in at least one of the body or the needle. The compression relief valve sensor assembly is configured to generate a cylinder head temperature signal proportional to a cylinder head temperature at the interface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates a side view of a machine100, such as a locomotive, in which various embodiments of the present disclosure are implemented. The machine100includes a frame102. The frame102may support an engine assembly104, a fuel tank106and various other components such as, but not limited to, power trains, hydraulic pumps, motors, valves, hydraulic lines, heat exchangers, and control systems. Further, the frame102may be disposed on one or more axles108, associated with a plurality of wheels110. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the frame102may be disposed on six axles108, associated with the plurality of wheels110. The engine assembly104may include plurality of engines112. Further, the engine112may be of any type, for example, but not limited to, an internal combustion engine operated in a 2-stroke. The engine assembly104may include at least one compression relief valve114. In an aspect of the present disclosure, each cylinder of the engine112may include a compression relief valve114. Further, the compression relief valve114may be connected to an engine control module (as shown inFIG. 3). As illustrated in a magnified view, wire harnesses115may connect the compression relief valve114to the engine control module.

Further, the fuel tank106may be made of for example, but not limited, to a steel body of a standard size ISO (International Organization for Standardization) tank. The fuel tank106may further include plurality of openings and access points for removably connecting various hoses, control valves, etc. Further, fuel tank106may hold fuel, for example, but not limited to, diesel, gasoline, liquefied natural gas (“LNG”), compressed natural gas (“CNG”), and their equivalents. The fuel is supplied from the fuel tank106to the engine112via plurality of lines. The fuel tank106may include one or more filters and pumps. The filters may remove any impurities such as dirt or dust particles present in the fuel while the pumps may suck, pressurize and deliver the fuel to injectors of the engine112. In alternative embodiments, the machine100may include one or more fuel tanks to hold one or more fuel.

FIG. 2illustrates an exploded view of the engine assembly104ofFIG. 1. The engine assembly104may include a cylinder head116and a cylinder block118connected to the cylinder The cylinder block118may include a plurality of cylinder assemblies. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the cylinder block118may include a sixteen-cylinder assembly (only one side shown, eight cylinders on one side). The cylinder assemblies of the engine assembly104may be disposed in any configuration, such as, but not limited to, in-line engine configuration, V-engine configuration, U-engine configuration, or W-engine configuration. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the cylinder assemblies may be disposed in a V-engine configuration. The cylinder heads116, cylinder block118and the gasket122may include openings126for receiving a mechanical fastener127, such as, but not limited, to a bolt assembly. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the compression relief valve114may be inset in a port124provided in the cylinder head116of the engine assembly104. (as illustrated in a magnified view)

FIG. 3illustrates a sectional view of the cylinder head116, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The cylinder head116of the engine112may include an exhaust valve135to allow exhaust gases to travel from exhaust passage to an exhaust manifold. The cylinder head116may further include an opening136to receive a fuel injector and/or a spark plug. The engine assembly104may further include a gasket122disposed between the cylinder head116and a cylinder liner130at the interface120. The gasket122may include a plurality of coolant flow passages128adapted to exchange heat released through combustion process in the cylinder assembly of the engine assembly104. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the coolant flow passages128may include sealing elements, such as, but not limited to, grommets.

In an aspect of the present disclosure, the compression relief valve114may include a CRV (Compression Relief Valve) sensor assembly138. The CRV sensor assembly138may be configured to sense a cylinder head temperature closest to the sealing element disposed in the coolant flow passage128of the gasket122at the interface120, as shown inFIG. 3.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the compression relief valve114is connected to the engine control module140via the wire harness115. The engine control module140is configured to receive cylinder head temperature signals proportional to the cylinder head temperature from the compression relief valve114. Further, the engine control module140may be configured to generate an engine overheat condition signal indicative of the engine overheat condition based on the cylinder head temperature signals. The engine control module's software is configured to generate the engine overheat condition signal indicative of the engine overheat condition based on the cylinder head temperature signals. Further, the engine control module140may selectively operate the engine112based on the engine overheat conditions. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the engine control module140may be configured derate or shutdown the engine112based on the engine overheat conditions. The engine control module140is operated by software to monitor the CRV sensor assembly138and its associated elements.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the engine control module140may include a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other appropriate circuitry, and may have memory or other data storage capabilities. The engine control module140may perform operations, include functions, steps, routines, data tables, data maps, charts, and the like, saved in, and executable from, read only memory, or another electronically accessible storage medium, to control the engine112. Although inFIG. 3, the engine control module140is illustrated as a single, discrete unit, in other embodiments, the engine control module140and its functions may be distributed among a plurality of distinct and separate components. The single unit or multiple component engine control module140may be located on-board the engine assembly104, a machine powered by the engine assembly104, and/or in a remote location.

FIG. 4illustrates the sectional view of the body142and needle146, according to an aspect of the present disclosure. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the body142may include a longitudinal bore. Further, a needle146may be removably disposed in the bore144. The CRV sensor assembly138may include a temperature sensing element148disposed in at least one of the body142or the needle146. The temperature sensing element148is configured to generate the cylinder head temperature signal proportional to the cylinder head temperature closest to the sealing elements at the interface120.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present disclosure is applicable to an engine assembly having compression relief valves, in which various embodiments of the present disclosure are implemented. Although the machine is embodied as a locomotive in the present disclosure, the machine may be such as, but not limited to, a large mining truck or an electric truck. An engine overheat condition may occur due to several conditions, such as, but not limited to, coolant temperature and pressure conditions and poor heat conductivity inside the engine because of accumulated deposits in a water jacket. Typically, to detect the engine overheat condition, one or more probes or transducers may be disposed in an inlet and outlet of the water jackets to measure temperature and pressure of the water. This method may not be an efficient solution, as the probes may sense high temperature, if the water entering the engine becomes hot, due to engine problems or inefficiencies in the water jackets. Further, the method often results in clogging of the sensors. The present disclosure detects the engine overheat conditions, if the sealing elements, for example, grommets present in a gasket become degraded or fail due to engine overheat conditions. Although the present disclosure is operable with an engine control module, a person ordinarily skilled in the art may understand that, the machine employing the present disclosure may be operated without the engine control module.

FIG. 5illustrates a method500of determining the engine overheat condition, in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. At step502, the CRV sensor assembly138disposed in the needle146may determine the cylinder head temperature signal proportional of the current cylinder head temperature of the engine112. The CRV sensor assembly138sends the generated cylinder head temperature signals to the engine control module140via the wire harness115. At step504, the engine control module140compare the current cylinder head temperature with a predetermined cylinder head temperature. The engine control module140is loaded with the predetermined cylinder head temperatures. At step506, the engine control module140may be further configured to generate the engine over heat condition signal indicative of the engine overheat condition based on the comparison of current cylinder head temperature with the predetermined cylinder head temperature. The engine control module140may indicate the engine overheat condition if the current cylinder head temperature is more than the predetermined cylinder head temperature. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the engine control module140may indicate the engine overheat condition, if the current cylinder temperature is about 25% more than the predetermined cylinder head temperature or normal operating temperatures of the engine112. Further, at step508, the engine control module140may derate or shutdowns the engine112, in the case of the engine overheat condition.

In an aspect of the present disclosure, the CRV sensor assembly138disposed in the needle146will sense the cylinder head temperature closest to the sealing elements in the gasket122provided at the interface120. The sealing elements may be more vulnerable to high temperatures and may degrade, leading to leakage of the coolant. The CRV sensor assembly138is designed to sense the cylinder head temperature closest to the sealing element and the engine control module140will derate or shutdown the engine112before it exceeds the degradation temperature of the sealing element.