초록 ▼

The present invention provides a heat exchange system including, among other things, a radiator operable to remove heat from coolant, an air flow path extending through a first charge air cooler and a second charge air cooler, the first charge air cooler being operable to transfer heat from air to t

The present invention provides a heat exchange system including, among other things, a radiator operable to remove heat from coolant, an air flow path extending through a first charge air cooler and a second charge air cooler, the first charge air cooler being operable to transfer heat from air to the coolant, the second charge air cooler being positioned downstream from the first charge air cooler along the air flow path to receive the air from the first charge air cooler and being operable to transfer heat from the air to the coolant, and a coolant circuit extending between a coolant pump, the radiator, and the first and second charge air coolers.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A heat exchange system comprising: a radiator operable to remove heat from coolant;an engine intake air flow path extending through a first charge air cooler and a second charge air cooler, the first charge air cooler being operable to transfer heat from air to the coolant, the second charge air

1. A heat exchange system comprising: a radiator operable to remove heat from coolant;an engine intake air flow path extending through a first charge air cooler and a second charge air cooler, the first charge air cooler being operable to transfer heat from air to the coolant, the second charge air cooler being positioned downstream from the first charge air cooler along the engine intake air flow path to receive the air from the first charge air cooler and being operable to transfer heat from the air to the coolant; anda coolant circuit extending between a coolant pump, the radiator, and the first and second charge air coolers. 2. The heat exchange system of claim 1, wherein the first and second charge air coolers are arranged in a parallel flow arrangement along the coolant circuit. 3. The heat exchange system of claim 1, wherein the air enters the engine intake air flow path before traveling through a first turbo charger, the first charge air cooler, a second turbo charger, the second charge air cooler, and into a vehicle engine. 4. The heat exchange system of claim 3, wherein the first turbo charger is positioned along the engine intake air flow path upstream from the second charge air cooler. 5. The heat exchange system of claim 3, wherein the second turbo charger is positioned along the engine intake air flow path downstream from the first charge air cooler and upstream from the second charge air cooler. 6. The heat exchange system of claim 1, wherein the coolant circuit is a branch of a coolant flow path, and wherein the pump directs a first quantity of the coolant into the coolant circuit and directs a second quantity of the coolant through a second branch extending through the engine. 7. The heat exchange system of claim 6, wherein the second branch extends through an air-cooled radiator before returning cooled coolant to the pump. 8. The heat exchange system of claim 7, wherein the radiator is a first radiator and the air-cooled radiator is a second radiator, and wherein the first radiator is positioned along the first branch of the coolant flow path to receive coolant from the pump before the coolant is directed along the coolant circuit to the first or second charge air coolers. 9. The heat exchange system of claim 1, wherein coolant from the radiator is divided between the first and second charge air coolers. 10. The heat exchange system of claim 1, wherein pressure differences along the coolant circuit distribute a first predetermined quantity of the coolant from the radiator to the first charge air cooler and a second predetermined quantity of coolant from the radiator to the second charge air cooler so that no valves are required. 11. A heat exchange system comprising: a radiator being operable to remove heat from coolant;a coolant circuit extending between a coolant pump, the radiator, and first and second charge air coolers, pressure differences along the coolant circuit distributing a first predetermined quantity of the coolant from the radiator to the first charge air cooler and a second predetermined quantity of coolant from the radiator to the second charge air cooler; andan engine intake air flow path extending through the first and second charge air coolers, the first and second charge air coolers being operable to transfer heat from air traveling along the engine intake air flow path to the coolant traveling along the coolant circuit through the first charge air cooler and to the coolant traveling through the second charge air cooler. 12. The heat exchange system of claim 11, wherein the second charge air cooler is positioned downstream from the first charge air cooler along the engine intake air flow path to receive the air from the first charge air cooler. 13. The heat exchange system of claim 11, wherein at least two turbo chargers are arranged along the engine intake air flow path. 14. The heat exchange system of claim 13, wherein air enters the engine intake air flow path before traveling through a first one of the at least two turbo chargers, the first charge air cooler, a second one of the at least two turbo chargers, the second charge air cooler, and into a vehicle engine. 15. The heat exchange system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the at least two turbo chargers is arranged downstream from the first charge air cooler along the engine intake air flow path. 16. The heat exchange system of claim 15, wherein an other of the at least two turbo chargers is arranged upstream from the first charge air cooler along the engine intake air flow path. 17. The heat exchange system of claim 11, wherein the coolant circuit is a branch of a coolant flow path, and wherein the pump directs a first quantity of the coolant into the coolant circuit and directs a second quantity of the coolant through a second branch extending through the engine. 18. The heat exchange system of claim 17, wherein the second branch extends through an air-cooled radiator before returning cooled coolant to the pump. 19. The heat exchange system of claim 17, wherein the radiator is a first radiator, wherein the second branch extends through a second radiator before returning cooled coolant to the pump, and wherein the first radiator is positioned along the first branch of the coolant flow path to receive coolant from the pump before the coolant is directed along the coolant circuit to the first or second charge air coolers. 20. A method of operating a heat exchange system, the method comprising the acts of: directing a coolant along a coolant circuit through a pump and a radiator;dividing the coolant from the radiator between a first charge air cooler and a second charge air cooler;directing air along an engine intake air flow path through the first charge air cooler and the second charge air cooler;transferring heat from the air to the coolant in the first charge air cooler; andtransferring heat from the air to the coolant in the second charge air cooler. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising directing coolant exiting at least one of the first charge air cooler and the second charge air cooler through a vehicle engine to preheat the vehicle engine. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising maintaining a substantially constant engine intake manifold temperature. 23. The method of claim 20, further comprising dividing coolant exiting the radiator between the first and second charge air coolers. 24. The method of claim 20, wherein directing air along the engine intake air flow path through the first charge air cooler and the second charge air cooler includes directing the air sequentially through a first turbo charger, the first charge air cooler, a second turbo charger, the second charge air cooler, and into a vehicle engine. 25. The method of claim 20, wherein directing the coolant along the coolant circuit through the pump, the radiator, the first charge air cooler, and the second charge air cooler includes directing a first quantity of coolant through a first branch of a coolant flow path, and further comprising directing a second quantity of the coolant through a second branch extending through a vehicle engine. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein directing the second quantity of the coolant through the second branch includes directing the second quantity of coolant through an air-cooled radiator before returning cooled coolant to the pump. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein directing the second quantity of the coolant through the second branch includes dividing coolant exiting the pump between the first and second branches to supply coolant to the first and second charge air coolers and the vehicle engine, respectively. 28. The method of claim 20, wherein dividing the coolant from the radiator between the first charge air cooler and the second charge air cooler includes directing a first predetermined quantity of coolant from the radiator toward the first charge air cooler and directing a second predetermined quantity of coolant from the radiator toward the second charge air cooler. 29. The method of claim 20, further comprising controlling pressure differences along the coolant circuit to direct predetermined quantities of the coolant traveling along the coolant circuit into each of the first and second charge air coolers. 30. A method of operating a heat exchange system, the method comprising the acts of: directing air along an engine intake air flow path sequentially through a first turbo charger, a first charge air cooler, a second turbo charger, and a second charge air cooler; andcontrolling pressure differences along a coolant circuit to divide coolant traveling along the coolant circuit and exiting a radiator into each of the first charge air cooler and the second charge air cooler. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the coolant circuit includes a pump, and further comprising directing coolant from the first and second charge air coolers into the pump and directing at least some of the coolant from the pump into the radiator. 32. The method of claim 30, further comprising directing coolant exiting at least one of the first charge air cooler and the second charge air cooler through a vehicle engine to preheat the vehicle engine. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising maintaining a substantially constant engine intake manifold temperature. 34. The method of claim 30, wherein directing air along the engine intake air flow path through the first charge air cooler and the second charge air cooler includes directing the air into a vehicle engine from the second charge air cooler. 35. The method of claim 34, further comprising directing the coolant along the coolant circuit through a pump, the radiator, the first charge air cooler, and the second charge air cooler by directing a first quantity of coolant through a first branch of a coolant flow path, and by directing a second quantity of the coolant through a second branch extending through the engine. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein directing the second quantity of the coolant through the second branch includes directing the second quantity of coolant through an air-cooled radiator before returning cooled coolant to the pump. 37. The method of claim 35, wherein directing the second quantity of the coolant through the second branch includes dividing coolant exiting the pump between the first and second branches to supply coolant to the first and second charge air coolers and the vehicle engine, respectively. 38. The method of claim 30, further comprising dividing the coolant from the radiator between the first charge air cooler and the second charge air cooler by directing a first predetermined quantity of coolant from the radiator toward the first charge air cooler and by directing a second predetermined quantity of coolant from the radiator toward the second charge air cooler.