An air-to-air aftercooler or heat exchanger for a vehicular internal combustion engine, which is independent of the main vehicle heat exchanger or radiator, and which is located at a position upon the vehicle which is remote from the main vehicle heat exchanger or radiator, has a filter for filtering ambient air; at least one aftercooler heat exchanger, separate from the main radiator heat exchanger and disposed upon the engine at a location remote from the main radiator heat exchanger, and having a first passageway defined therein which is fluidically connected to the filter for receiving the ambient air which has passed through the filter; a second passageway defined within the at least one aftercooler heat exchanger for receiving turbocharged air from the turbocharger, for conducting the turbocharged air through the at least one aftercooler heat exchanger such that the turbocharged air undergoes a heat exchange process with the ambient air, and for conducting the turbocharged air to the engine intake manifold; and a fan for causing the ambient air to pass through the filter and the first passageway of the at least one remote aftercooler heat exchanger, and for causing the ambient air to be discharged to atmosphere.

TECHNICAL FIELD
 The present invention relates generally to heat exchanger or cooling
 systems for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to a new
 and improved auxiliary or supplemental heat exchanger or cooling system
 for use in conjunction with the main conventional heat exchanger or
 radiator type cooling system.
 BACKGROUND ART
 As is known in the internal combustion engine (ICE) art, and the motor
 vehicle industry employing such engines for use in the vehicle drive
 train, federal governmental regulations, as issued within the past years,
 for example, by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have mandated
 that NOx emissions be reduced. One scheme or mode of operating internal
 combustion engines by means of which such NOx emissions have in fact been
 able to be reduced has been to incorporate exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)
 techniques into the engine inlet air supply system. Another scheme or mode
 of operating internal combustion engines by means of which such NOx
 emissions have also in fact been able to be reduced has been to provide
 increased cooling of the incoming turbocharged air being conducted into
 the engine inlet manifold.
 One way to achieve such increased cooling of the incoming turbocharged air
 being conducted into the engine inlet manifold is to of course increase
 the size or density of the main engine heat exchanger or radiator-type
 cooling system whereby, in effect, more cooling surface area is provided
 within the heat exchanger or radiator. Conventionally, an internal
 combustion engine vehicle has a single or main heat exchanger or
 radiator-type cooling system for performing or satisfying all heat load
 requirements of the engine, such as, for example, those attendant the
 water jacket, the hydraulic systems, the power train, and the like.
 However, such an increase in the size or density of the main engine heat
 exchanger or radiator is not always possible considering size constraints
 or limitations for housing the main heat exchanger or radiator upon or
 within a particular vehicle. In addition, such an increase in the size or
 density of the main engine heat exchanger or radiator entails a
 substantial increase in the resulting pressure drop across or
 characteristic of such heat exchanger or radiator which, in turn,
 necessitates increased power input levels or requirements in order to
 achieve sufficient air flow through the system. Such increased power input
 requirements or levels can be attained or met, for example, by increasing
 the speed of the main engine cooling fan, however, increasing the speed of
 the main engine cooling fan results in unacceptable noise levels.
 A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved aftercooler or
 heat exchanger system which can provide sufficient or enhanced cooling of
 the incoming turbocharged air to be routed toward the engine inlet
 manifold, which will permit the size of the main or conventional heat
 exchanger or radiator to be maintained or reduced so as to accommodate or
 meet size constraints or limitations upon a particular vehicle, and which
 will not result in increased or elevated noise levels.
 The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems
 set forth above.
 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
 In one aspect of the invention a remote-mounted cooling system is connected
 to an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine has an
 engine block, an air intake manifold, a turbocharger for providing inlet
 air to the air intake manifold, and a main radiator heat exchanger, a
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange system for providing
 cooled inlet air to the air intake manifold. The remote-mounted cooling
 system is comprised of a filter for filtering ambient air; at least one
 aftercooler heat exchanger, separate from the main radiator heat exchanger
 and disposed upon the engine at a location remote from the main radiator
 heat exchanger, and having a first passageway defined therein which is
 fluidically connected to the filter for receiving the ambient air which
 has passed through the filter; a second passageway defined within the at
 least one aftercooler heat exchanger for receiving turbocharged air from
 the turbocharger, for conducting the turbocharged air through the at least
 one aftercooler heat exchanger such that the turbocharged air undergoes a
 heat exchange process with the ambient air, and for conducting the
 turbocharged air to the engine intake manifold; and a fan for causing the
 ambient air to pass through the filter and the first passageway of the at
 least one remote aftercooler heat exchanger, and for causing the ambient
 air to be discharged to atmosphere.
 In another aspect of the invention, an internal combustion engine has an
 engine block, an air intake manifold, a turbocharger for providing inlet
 air to said air intake manifold, and a main radiator heat exchanger, a
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange system for providing
 cooled inlet air to the air intake manifold, comprises: a filter for
 filtering ambient air; at least one aftercooler heat exchanger, separate
 from the main radiator heat exchanger and disposed upon the engine at a
 location remote from the main radiator heat exchanger, and has a first
 passageway defined therein which is fluidically connected to the filter
 for receiving the ambient air which has passed through the filter; a
 second passageway is defined within the at least one aftercooler heat
 exchanger for receiving turbocharged air from the turbocharger, for
 conducting the turbocharged air through the at least one aftercooler heat
 exchanger such that the turbocharged air undergoes a heat exchange process
 with the ambient air, and for conducting the turbocharged air to the
 engine intake manifold; and a fan for causing the ambient air to pass
 through the filter and the first passageway of the at least one remote
 aftercooler heat exchanger, and for causing the ambient air to be
 discharged to atmosphere.
 And, in another aspect of the invention, a work machine having an internal
 combustion engine. The internal combustion engine is comprised of an
 engine block; an air intake manifold; a turbocharger for providing inlet
 air to the air intake manifold; a main radiator heat exchanger; and a
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange system for providing
 cooled inlet air to the air intake manifold, the remote-mounted air-to-air
 aftercooler has a filter for filtering ambient air; at least one
 aftercooler heat exchanger, separate from the main radiator heat exchanger
 and disposed upon the engine at a location remote from the main radiator
 heat exchanger, and has a first passageway defined therein which is
 fluidically connected to the filter for receiving the ambient air which
 has passed through the filter; a second passageway is defined within the
 at least one aftercooler heat exchanger for receiving turbocharged air
 from said turbocharger, for conducting the turbocharged air through the at
 least one aftercooler heat exchanger such that the turbocharged air
 undergoes a heat exchange process with the ambient air, and for conducting
 the turbocharged air to the engine intake manifold; and a fan for causing
 the ambient air to pass through the filter and the first passageway of the
 at least one remote aftercooler heat exchanger, and for causing the
 ambient air to be discharged to atmosphere.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
 It is known that a conventional radiator cooled internal combustion diesel
 engine 110 has an engine block, a main radiator-type heat exchanger
 disposed at the front end of the engine block, and a plurality of air
 filters for the engine intake air. The engine 110 is essentially the same
 as that of a conventional engine except for the inclusion therein of the
 new and improved remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange
 system which is constructed in accordance with the principles and
 teachings of the present invention and which is generally indicated by the
 reference character 120. It is specifically noted further that the
 location or disposition of the main radiator type heat exchanger 114 is
 unchanged with respect to a conventional engine despite the incorporation
 of the new and improved remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat
 exchange system 130 within the engine 110. Consequently, it is to be
 further noted and appreciated that the new and improved remote-mounted
 air-to-air after-cooler heat exchange system 130 constructed and used in
 accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention can
 be effectively retrofitted upon existing internal combustion engines. One
 of the primary features of the remote-mounted air-to-air after-cooler heat
 exchange system 130 of the present invention resides in the fact that such
 system is separate and independent from the main radiator type heat
 exchanger 114 conventionally utilized in connection with internal
 combustion engines.
 Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an embodiment of the new and improved
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange system, constructed
 and used in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present
 invention, is illustrated and generally indicated by the reference
 character 130 as was previously noted in connection with the overall view
 and understanding of the internal combustion diesel engine 110 whereby it
 is to be understood that the particular structure of the new and improved
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange system 130 illustrated
 in FIGS. 2 and 3 can in fact be utilized as the remote-mounted air-to-air
 aftercooler heat exchange system 130 illustrated in FIG. 1 and accordingly
 incorporated within the engine 110 of FIG. 1.
 More particularly, the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange
 system 130 is seen to have a heat exchanger or aftercooler core 132
 upstream of which there is provided a filter 134 through which relatively
 cool ambient air enters as denoted by the thick arrow AAI. Downstream of
 the heat exchanger or aftercooler core 132 there is disposed a heat
 exchanger or aftercooler fan 136 which serves to draw the relatively cool
 ambient air AAI through the filter 134 and the heat exchanger or
 aftercooler core 132 after which the ambient air is exhausted to
 atmosphere through an exhaust pipe 138 as relatively hot ambient air as
 denoted by the thick arrow AAO. Relatively hot air from the engine
 turbocharger is admitted into the heat exchanger or aftercooler core 132
 through a heat exchanger or aftercooler inlet port 140 as denoted by the
 arrow TAI, and after traversing the heat exchanger or aftercooler core 132
 and having undergone a heat exchange operation with respect to the
 relatively cool ambient air simultaneously passing through the heat
 exchanger or aftercooler core 132, the turbocharger air is exhausted
 through a heat exchanger or aftercooler outlet port 142 as relatively cool
 turbocharger air, denoted by the arrow TAO, which is then routed to the
 engine intake manifold.
 The use of the filter 134 upstream of the heat exchanger or aftercooler
 core 132 results in clean filtered ambient air being supplied to the heat
 exchanger or aftercooler core 132 which permits the use of a relatively
 dense or compact heat exchanger or after core, as will be discussed more
 fully hereinafter, in view of the fact that clogging of the heat exchanger
 or aftercooler core by air entrained debris is effectively prevented. The
 use of a relatively dense or compact heat exchanger or aftercooler core
 enhances the cooling of the turbocharger air, which is to be routed to the
 engine intake manifold, which is the desirable objective. Due to the
 utilization of such a relatively dense or compact heat exchanger or
 aftercooler core, which presents a relatively considerable or significant
 pressure drop for the air flow drawn through the heat exchanger or
 aftercooler core 132 the heat exchanger or aftercooler fan 136 preferably
 has a radial or backward curved centrifugal fan.
 In order to remove debris filtered and collected upon the filter 134 from
 the incoming ambient air AAI, the system 130 may further have a purge line
 144 which fluidically interconnects the filter 134 to the inlet chamber of
 the heat exchanger or aftercooler fan 136 while circumventing or bypassing
 the heat exchanger or aftercooler core 132. Purge air is conducted through
 the filter 134 and traverses the purge line 144 so as to entrain the
 filtered and collected debris therewith whereby such debris can then be
 admitted into the fan cavity and exhausted to atmosphere through the
 exhaust pipe 138. Of course it is to be appreciated that additional
 purging routines or techniques can be employed as required or appropriate.
 It is further noted that the heat exchanger or aftercooler fan 136 is
 operatively connected to and powered by either an electric motor or a
 hydraulic pump and motor drive 146. The motor drive 146 thus enables the
 heat exchanger or aftercooler fan 136 to be driven independently of the
 vehicle engine speed and the speed of the main radiator cooling fan. Thus,
 a constant flow or controlled flow of the ambient air drawn through the
 heat exchanger or aftercooler core 132 is able to be achieved.
 In FIGS. 4 and 5, a second embodiment of the new and improved
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange system, constructed
 and used in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present
 invention, is illustrated and generally indicated by the reference
 character 230. It is noted that the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler
 heat exchange system 230 is operatively similar to the remote-mounted
 air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange system 130 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and
 3, and therefore, parts of the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat
 exchanger system 230 which correspond to similar parts of the
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange system 130 of the
 first embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 have been designated by
 similar reference characters, although the reference characters of the
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchanger system 230 are noted
 as being within the 200 series. As will also be appreciated from a
 comparison between the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, and the embodiment of
 FIGS. 4 and 5, there are structural differences between the two
 aftercooler heat exchange systems 130 and 230.
 More particularly, one of the first major differences between the
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchanger system 230 of FIGS. 4
 and 5, and the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchanger system
 130 of FIGS. 2 and 3, is that in lieu of a single heat exchanger or
 aftercooler core 132, the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat
 exchanger system 230 has a pair of heat exchangers or aftercoolers 232
 respectively disposed upon opposite sides of a heat exchanger or
 aftercooler fan 236.
 A filter 234 is coaxially disposed above the fan 236 such that the ambient
 air is drawn into and through the filter 234 by the fan 236, as denoted by
 the arrow AAI, and the fan 236 has dual outlets such that the exhausts of
 the fan 236 are respectively blown through each one of the heat exchangers
 or aftercoolers 232 which are respectively located directly adjacent to
 and downstream of the fan outlets. This feature has another difference
 with respect to the system 130 of FIGS. 2 and 3, that is, in lieu of the
 after-cooler fan air being drawn through the heat exchangers or
 aftercoolers as was the case of the system 130 of FIGS. 2 and 3, the
 exhaust fan air is blown through the heat exchangers or aftercoolers 232.
 Subsequently, the heated ambient air is exhausted from the heat exchangers
 or aftercoolers 232 and discharged into the atmosphere through an exhaust
 pipe 238 as ambient air out AAO. In a similar manner, air from the engine
 turbocharger is admitted into remotely located inlet ends 240 of the heat
 exchangers or aftercoolers 232 as denoted by the arrows TAI, and after
 having passed through the respective heat exchangers or aftercoolers 232
 so as to have undergone a heat exchange process with respect to the
 ambient air, the relatively cooled turbocharged air is exhausted from
 adjacent outlet ends 242 of the heat exchangers or aftercoolers 232 as
 denoted by the arrows TAO.
 With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, another embodiment of the new and improved
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange system, constructed
 and used in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present
 invention, is illustrated and generally indicated by the reference
 character 330. It is noted that the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler
 heat exchange system 330 is operatively similar to the remote-mounted
 air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange systems 130 and 230 illustrated in
 FIGS. 2-5, and therefore, parts of the remote-mounted air-to-air
 aftercooler heat exchanger system 330 which correspond to similar parts of
 the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchange systems 130 and
 230 of the first and second embodiments as illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 have
 been designated by similar reference characters, although the reference
 characters of the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchanger
 system 330 are noted as being within the 300 series. As will also be
 appreciated from a comparison between the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, and
 the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7, there are structural or positional
 differences between the components of the two aftercooler heat exchange
 systems 230 and 330.
 More particularly, one of the first differences between the remote-mounted
 air-to-air aftercooler heat exchanger system 330 of FIGS. 6 and 7, and the
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchanger system 230 disclosed
 within FIGS. 4 and 5, is that in accordance with the principles and
 teachings of the embodiment of the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler
 heat exchanger system disclosed within FIGS. 6 and 7, while the axis of a
 filter 334 is disposed vertically, the axis of a fan 336 and its drive
 motor 346 is offset or disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to
 the vertical axis of the filter 334. It is additionally noted that a
 second difference between the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat
 exchanger system 330 disclosed within FIGS. 6 and 7, and the
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchanger system 230 disclosed
 within FIGS. 4 and 5, is that the exhaust pipes 238 of the embodiment of
 the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler heat exchanger system 230
 disclosed within FIGS. 4 and 5 have in effect been eliminated.
 It is lastly to be understood that in connection with any one of the
 remote-mounted air-to-air heat exchangers or aftercoolers 132, 232, or 332
 respectively disclosed within the embodiments of FIGS. 2-3, FIGS. 4-5, and
 FIGS. 6-7, that such heat exchanger or aftercooler can in fact have either
 a primary surface heat exchanger or a more conventional secondary surface
 heat exchanger, although for the purposes of this disclosure and
 invention, a primary surface heat exchanger or aftercooler is preferred. A
 secondary surface heat exchanger is one in which a tubular pipe or
 conduit, carrying a fluid to be cooled, has a plurality of radiator fins
 projecting radially outwardly from the external peripheral surface of the
 tubular pipe or conduit. A primary surface heat exchanger is one in which
 the radiator fins have in effect been eliminated and in lieu thereof,
 interdigitated conduits for the respective gas and air flows are defined
 between corrugated sheet components which together form the heat
 exchanger. The density of the heat exchange components is thus increased
 resulting in enhanced cooling.
 More particularly, as seen in FIG. 8, there is disclosed a primary surface
 heat exchanger which is generally indicated by the reference character
 432. The heat exchanged is seen to be formed from three vertically stacked
 corrugated sheets of material 450,452, and 454. The corrugated sheets may
 be formed from any one of a plurality of materials, such as, for example,
 stainless steel, aluminum, non-metallic materials, such as, for example,
 nylon or other thermoplastic materials, or the like. The upper corrugated
 sheet 450 and the intermediate corrugated sheet 452 are disposed in an
 opposite sense or orientation with respect to each other so as not to be
 nested and wherein the respective concave portions 456 and 458 of the
 sheets 450 and 452 are in abutment with each other, while the respective
 convex portions 460 and 462 of the sheets 450 and 452 are disposed remote
 from each other. In this manner, the upper and intermediate sheets 450 and
 452 define a plurality of gas conduits 464 therebetween.
 In a similar manner, the lower corrugated sheet 454 and the intermediate
 corrugated sheet 452 are disposed in an opposite sense or orientation with
 respect to each other so as not to be nested and wherein the respective
 concave portions 466 and 468 of the sheets 454 and 452 are in abutment
 with each other, while the respective convex portions 470 and 472 of the
 sheets 454 and 452 are disposed remote from each other. In this manner,
 the lower and intermediate sheets 454 and 452 define a plurality of air
 conduits 474 therebetween. It is also to be appreciated that as a result
 of the arrangement of the sheets 450,452,454, and the respective formation
 of the gas and air conduits 464 and 474 therebetween, that, for example,
 the upper end portion of each one of the air conduits 474 is partially
 interdigitated between the lower end portions of a pair of adjacent gas
 conduits 464, and similarly, considered from a reverse point of view, the
 lower end portion of each one of the gas conduits 464 is partially
 interdigitated between the upper end portions of a pair of adjacent air
 conduits 474. In this manner, enhanced heat exchange between the air and
 gas flowing within the conduits 474 and 464 is achieved.
 Industrial Applicability
 It is thus to be appreciated that as a result of the provision or
 arrangement of the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler or heat exchanger
 system of the present invention as utilized in conjunction with, for
 example, a diesel type internal combustion engine as disclosed within FIG.
 1, and regardless of whether the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler or
 heat exchanger arrangement has the particular structural arrangement
 having an embodiment disclosed within FIGS. 2-3, another embodiment
 disclosed within FIGS. 4-5, or another embodiment disclosed within FIGS.
 6-7, various operational advantages are able to be achieved. It is
 initially noted, for example, that with the new and improved
 remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler or heat exchanger arrangement
 constructed and used in accordance with the principles and teachings of
 the present invention, additional cooling is provided for cooling the
 incoming air to the engine intake manifold without requiring such cooling
 to be affected by the main cooling heat exchanger or radiator which is
 then free to perform the other cooling functions, or address other cooling
 loads, of the engine. Sufficient air flow and cooling of the incoming air
 to the engine intake manifold is therefore achieved without necessitating
 an increase in the size and operational noise of the main cooling heat
 exchanger or radiator. Alternatively, the size of the main cooling heat
 exchanger or radiator can be reduced. The fan of the remote-mounted
 air-to-air aftercooler or heat exchanger system is also driven by an
 apparatus, such as its own motor drive so as to be able to be operated
 independently of the engine speed or load.
 Still further, the utilization of the remote-mounted air-to-air aftercooler
 or heat exchanger system as disclosed herein permits such system to be
 mounted in effect as a retrofitted system with respect to existing or
 conventional vehicle heat exchanger arrangements or systems. In accordance
 with the various illustrated embodiments, it is also to be appreciated
 that when the heated ambient air is exhausted to atmosphere, such heated
 air is directed away from both the aftercooler and main radiator fans so
 as not to be ingested into the intake or incoming air streams of either
 fan. In connection with such an arrangement, it is noted, for example,
 that while the exhaust pipes 238,238 of the second embodiment disclosed
 within FIGS. 4 and 5 are disclosed and illustrated as extending vertically
 upwardly, they may also be disposed so as to extend horizontally as long
 as the exhaust ends of the pipes are remote from both the aftercooler and
 main radiator fans. Further, the advantage of the arrangement of the
 remote air-to-air aftercooler or heat exchanger systems disclosed within
 the various embodiments as illustrated in FIGS. 4-7 wherein two
 aftercooler or heat exchange cores 232,232 and 332,332 are employed in
 lieu of the single aftercooler or heat exchanger core 132 of the first
 embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2-3 is that more flexibility with respect
 to the system components, and the positional housing or accommodation of
 the same upon the vehicle, is able to be achieved.