초록 ▼

A system for separating and dispersing condensate formed in a charge air cooler of a turbocharged engine system. The system includes a drain tube on the charge air cooler lower surface that is plumbed to a reservoir, with a charge air recirculation tube plumbed from the reservoir to the turbocharger

A system for separating and dispersing condensate formed in a charge air cooler of a turbocharged engine system. The system includes a drain tube on the charge air cooler lower surface that is plumbed to a reservoir, with a charge air recirculation tube plumbed from the reservoir to the turbocharger compressor inlet duct. The pressure difference between the charge air cooler and the compressor inlet draws any condensate formed in the charge air cooler back into the reservoir. A valve at the bottom of the condensate reservoir will open under predetermined vehicle operating conditions to drain the stored condensate out from the reservoir. The condensate could be simply drained to the ground, or a spray bar could be connected to the reservoir outlet to spay the condensate on to the outside surface of the charge air cooler, providing additional performance for brief periods of high engine load operation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for separating and dispersing condensate formed in a charge air cooler, comprising: a turbocharger compressor inlet duct;a turbocharger attached to an engine;a charge air cooler connected to the turbocharger;a condensate drain defined in the charge air cooler;a condensate reservoir defin

1. A system for separating and dispersing condensate formed in a charge air cooler, comprising: a turbocharger compressor inlet duct;a turbocharger attached to an engine;a charge air cooler connected to the turbocharger;a condensate drain defined in the charge air cooler;a condensate reservoir defining a condensate inlet, a condensate outlet, and a charge air recirculation outlet;a condensate supply tube having a first end that is directly connected to the condensate drain of the charge air cooler and a second end that is directly connected to the condensate inlet of the condensate reservoir, providing fluid communication therebetween;a condensate dispersion tube directly connected to the condensate outlet of the condensate reservoir, the condensate dispersion tube having an inner surface and an outer surface that defines a circumferential wall, the circumferential wall defining a plurality of apertures in communication with the inner and the outer surfaces;a plurality of nozzles, wherein one of each of the plurality of nozzles is connected to one of each of the plurality of apertures;a shut-off valve connected directly to the condensate dispersion tube between the condensate reservoir and the plurality of nozzles, the shut-off valve movable between a closed position where fluid flows through the condensate dispersion tube is prohibited and an open position where fluid flows through the condensate dispersion tube is allowed;a condensate level sensor directly connected to the condensate reservoir that generates a signal when a condensate level is at a first predetermined level;a control unit in communication with the shut-off valve, the control unit moving the shut-off valve to the closed position when the condensate is below the first predetermined level, the control unit moving the shut-off valve to the open position when the condensate is above the first predetermined level and when the engine is operating at high load conditions; anda charge air recirculation tube having a first end directly connected to the charge air recirculation outlet of the condensate reservoir and a second end connected to the turbocharger compressor inlet duct, providing a pressure differential necessary to draw condensate from the charge air cooler into the charge air cooler reservoir. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of nozzles each define an opening to the atmosphere from the inner surface of the condensate dispersion tube, andthe condensate dispersion tube is positioned adjacent to a core portion of the charge air cooler. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a shut-off valve connected directly to the air recirculation tube. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the condensate drain is formed at one of a bottom of a vertical side wall or on a bottom surface of the charge air cooler to enable the charge air cooler to fully drain. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the condensate level sensor generates a second signal when the condensate level is at a second predetermined level. 6. A system for separating and dispersing condensate formed in a charge air cooler, comprising: a turbocharger compressor inlet duct;a turbocharger attached to an engine;a charge air cooler connected to the turbocharger;a condensate drain connected to the charge air cooler;a condensate reservoir defining a condensate inlet, a condensate outlet, and a charge air recirculation outlet;a condensate supply tube having a first end that is connected to the condensate drain and a second end that is connected to the condensate inlet of the condensate reservoir to provide a fluid communication therebetween;a condensate dispersion tube connected to the condensate outlet of the condensate reservoir, the condensate dispersion tube further comprising an inner surface and an outer surface that define a circumferential wall, the circumferential wall further defining a plurality of apertures in communication with the inner surface and the outer surface;a charge air recirculation tube having a first end directly connected to the charge air recirculation outlet of the condensate reservoir and a second end connected to the turbocharger compressor inlet duct, providing a pressure differential necessary to draw condensate from the charge air cooler into the charge air cooler reservoir;a shut-off valve connected directly to the condensate dispersion tube, the shut-off valve movable between a closed position where fluid flows through the condensate dispersion tube is prohibited and an open position where fluid flows through the condensate dispersion tube is allowed;a condensate level sensor directly connected to the condensate reservoir that generates a signal when a condensate level is at a first predetermined level; anda control unit in communication with the shut-off valve, the control unit moving the shut-off valve to the closed position when the condensate is below the first predetermined level, the control unit moving the shut-off valve to the open position when the condensate is above the first predetermined level and when the engine is operating at high load conditions. 7. The system of claim 6, further comprising: a plurality of nozzles, wherein one of each of the plurality of nozzles is connected to one of each of the plurality of apertures. 8. The system of claim 6, further comprising: a shut-off valve connected to the air recirculation tube. 9. A system for separating and dispersing condensate formed in a charge air cooler of a turbocharged engine system, comprising: a turbocharger compressor inlet duct;a turbocharger attached to an engine;a charge air cooler connected to the turbocharger;a condensate drain connected to a bottom of the charge air cooler;a condensate reservoir having a condensate inlet, a condensate outlet, and a charge air recirculation outlet;a condensate supply tube having a first end that is connected to the condensate drain of the charge air cooler and a second end that is connected to the condensate inlet of the condensate reservoir, providing a fluid communication therebetween;an air recirculation tube connected to the condensate reservoir and the turbocharger compressor inlet duct, wherein the air recirculation tube provides a pressure differential necessary to draw condensate from the charge air cooler into the reservoir;a shut-off valve within the air recirculation tube to control airflow within the recirculation tube;a condensate dispersion tube connected to the condensate outlet of the condensate reservoir, the condensate dispersion tube having an inner surface and an outer surface that define a circumferential wall, the circumferential wall defining a plurality of apertures through the inner surface and the outer surface;a plurality of nozzles, wherein one of each of the plurality of nozzles is connected to one of each of the plurality of apertures;a shut-off valve connected directly to the condensate dispersion tube between the condensate reservoir and the plurality of nozzles, the shut-off valve movable between a closed position where fluid flows through the condensate dispersion tube is prohibited and an open position where fluid flows through the condensate dispersion tube is allowed;a condensate level sensor directly connected to the condensate reservoir that generates a signal when a condensate level is at a first predetermined level; anda control unit in communication with the shut-off valve, the control unit moving the shut-off valve to the closed position when the condensate is below the first predetermined level, the control unit moving the shut-off valve to the open position when the condensate is above the first predetermined level and when the engine is operating at high load conditions. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein, the condensate level sensor generates a second signal when the condensate level is at a second predetermined level within the reservoir. 11. A system for separating and dispersing condensate formed in a charge air cooler, comprising: a turbocharger compressor inlet duct;a turbocharger attached to an engine;a charge air cooler connected to the turbocharger;a condensate drain defined in the charge air cooler;a condensate reservoir defining a condensate inlet, a condensate outlet, and a charge air recirculation outlet;a condensate supply tube having a first end that is directly connected to the condensate drain of the charge air cooler and a second end that is directly connected to the condensate inlet of the condensate reservoir, providing a fluid communication therebetween;a condensate dispersion tube directly connected to the condensate outlet of the condensate reservoir, the condensate dispersion tube having an outlet to drain condensate directly to the ground;a charge air recirculation tube having a first end directly connected to the charge air recirculation outlet of the condensate reservoir and a second end connected to the turbocharger compressor inlet duct, providing the pressure differential necessary to draw condensate from the charge air cooler in to the charge air cooler reservoir;a shut-off valve connected directly to the condensate dispersion tube, the shut-off valve movable between a closed position where fluid flows through the condensate dispersion tube is prohibited and an open position where fluid flows through the condensate dispersion tube is allowed;a condensate level sensor directly connected to the condensate reservoir that generates a signal when a condensate level is at a first predetermined level; anda control unit in communication with the shut-off valve, the control unit moving the shut-off valve to the closed position when the condensate is below the first predetermined level, the control unit moving the shut-off valve to the open position when the condensate is above the first predetermined level and when the engine is operating at high load conditions. 12. The system of claim 11, further comprising: a shut-off valve connected directly to the air recirculation tube. 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the condensate drain is formed at one of a bottom of a vertical side wall or a bottom surface of the charge air cooler to enable the charge air cooler to fully drain. 14. The system of claim 11, wherein the condensate level sensor generates a second signal when the condensate level is at a second predetermined level. 15. The system of claim 5, wherein the control unit moves the shut-off valve to the open position when the condensate level is at the second predetermined level. 16. The system of claim 6, wherein the condensate level sensor generates a second signal when the condensate level is at a second predetermined level. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the control unit moves the shut-off valve to the open position when the condensate level is at the second predetermined level. 18. The system of claim 10, wherein the control unit moves the shut-off valve to the open position when the condensate level is at the second predetermined level. 19. The system of claim 14, wherein the control unit moves the shut-off valve to the open position when the condensate level is at the second predetermined level.