US2896595A - Method and apparatus for cooling of radiators of engines and the like - Google Patents

Description

July 23', 1959 A. GUILLO-QUEVEDO METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING .OF RADIATORS 0F ENGINES AND THE LIKE Filed March 21, 195'! United States Patent,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING OF RADIATORS OF ENGINES AND THE LIKE Alvaro Guillo-Quevedo, Guatemala City, Guatemala Application March 21, 1957, Serial No. 647,689 14 Claims. (Cl. 123-41.49)

er which the Caterpillar D2 to D7 tractors may be taken as typical, employ an ordinary propeller type fan to draw cooling air through a conventional radiator through which the cooling water for the engine is circulated. Even though the radiator is provided with a casing or shield leading from the generally rectangular margins of the radiator and terminating in a circular opening embracing the fan to provide a suction plenum for the fan, still in extremely dusty terrain, as in Guatemala, for example, it frequently occurs that in tWo hours of operation the efficiency of the radiator is so reduced by the collection of dust deposits in the air passages through its core, that overheating of the engine results making it necessary to shut down operations while the dust is removed from the radiator as by blowing it out of the air passages with a high pressure air hose.

Amongthe objects of the present invention, severally and interdependently, are: the provision of a fan system so constructed and arranged as to obviate the aforesaid disadvantage of conventional systems; the provision of an improved mode of air circulation for radiator cooled internal combustion engines such as tractor engines and the like; the provision of a novel type of fan combined in a unique manner with a casing, shield or housing associated with a radiator for improving the utility thereof; and the provision of a double action fan of cheap, simple and novel construction. The mode in which the invention achieves these and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings of illustrative embodiments thereof.

The invention resides in the novel features, combinations, and sub-combinations hereinafter described that Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken at line 33 of Fig. 2

in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a partial view corresponding to Fig. 2 of another embodiment; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view thereof taken at line of r .Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows.

2,896,595. Patented July 28, 1959 As shown in Fig. 1, the invention is adapted to improve the air circulation of the cooling system of a diesel tractor or the like of the type comprising an internal combustion engine 10 provided with a coolant circuit including a radiator comprising a core 11, a head tank 11a and abase tank 11b with a water pump 12, and suitable conduit means 13 and 14 connecting the tanks 11a and 11b with the pump 12 and engine block of engine 10, in series. A part of the coolant, herein represented by water, may be bypassed through an oil cooler as is conventional. i

The water pump 12 and the ventilating or radiator fan, whether of the conventional type (not shown) or of a type according to the present invention, are preferably driven from the engine 10, as by a V-be lt 13 driven by a pulley 14 mounted on the crank shaft of the engine and driving a pulley 15 mounted on the pump and fan shaft.

The fan conventionally employed in such installations (not shown) comprises a single set of propeller type blades similar to the blades 23 hereinafter "described, and draws air through the radiator core 11 and discharges it toward the engine 10 in a generally straight-through flow from left to right as viewed in Fig; 1. Suchconventional fan is generally provided with a casing or shield similar to the shield 20, Fig. 1, which conventional shield leads from the generally rectangular margins. of the core section 11 and terminates in a circular discharge opening that in the conventional installation is concentric with the single propeller type fan, which draws the air rearwardly throughout the entire area of such opening. As noted above, when such conventional installations are employed in extremely dusty terrain, the suction of the fan, distributed over the entire air passage areaof the core 11, is not able to prevent the accumulation of deposits of dust in the air passages through the core, with the result that dust clogging and overheating occurs so rapidly that it is frequently necessary to stop the engine and remove the accumulated dust, as by blowing out the dust with a high pressure air hose.

In contrast to such conventional system, however, the present invention employs a new method of circulating the ventilating air. As shown in Fig. 1, in this method a current of air is drawn inwardly through only a first part A of the radiator core, centrally thereof in the illustrative embodiments, and at least a firstpart of said air current is then driven in reverse flow backwardly through the remainder B of the radiator core preferably at the marginal areas thereof, thereby greatly increasing the speed of air flow per unit area of air passage space in the core, and producing not only a rapid air flow through the marginal areas of the core,but also a flow therethrough in the direction to blow dust clouds away from the front of the radiator at the areas B, which 'also minimizes access of dust to the area A in the preferred embodiments of the invention in which the marginal areas B surround, and hence guard, the airingress area A.

In the illustrative embodiments herein, only a second portion of the air stream from the area A (which passes through the area A together with the first portion and hence provides rapid air flow therethrough) is passed rearwardly from the radiator and discharged into the engine space, as will hereinafter more fully appear, and even this portion of the cooling air is preferably given a much greater radial component of motion before impinging on the engine than is the case when the air is driven by the conventional single propeller type fan.

To provide for operation according to the just described new method, in the embodiment of-Fig. 1, the conventional shield or fan casing 20 becomes a part of a housing 20-21. As best shown in Figs. '2 and 3 the portion 21 of the housing, in the form shown, has a generally anfinch or-l'e'ss being preferred.

rangement-the fan '23' has a number of blades 23a equal "to thenumber of blades 22a of fan 22. Since the blades "opening 21a therein, through the above displaces the 'firs't portion of th'feair streamfrom'area A, "and with the aid of the housing portions 2021 drives it in reverse flow through themarg'inal areas B of the radiapell'ertype blades-22iz having a pitch opposite to that 'o'f the conventionarran, and thus disposed to drive air centrifugally andt'oward the portions B of the radiator "core 11, most-of which air'can only be replaced, as a practical matter, by air drawn into the housing through '"thecore-a'r'ea A, 5 as will more fully appear hereinafter.

t ;-*A's will'fiirther be clear frornFigs. '1-3', in this embodimerit ;a second fa' n means '23 is disposed adjacent the opening 21a exteriorly'of the housing 21 and pitched --'to drive air away from said housing as the two fan means "22, 23 are driven,-l1erein by the conventional belt and pulley drive 1315.

- Ap'articularly simple and inexpensive mode of associating-the two fans with thehousing 2021 is exemplifie d'in Figs. 1 3, in which the portion 21 of the housing,

"that has the generally circular opening 21a therein, is eifectively in the fonntof an annulus. (as best shown in Fig. 2) that liesa'bout co-planar with the surrounding -'portion 20 of the'hous'ing (see Fig. 3), and is closely "spaced thereto at 21b, aspacing of about an eighth of In the illustrated ar- 22a and 23a are'of opposite pitch, their leading edges may be arranged c'o-radially, as in Figs. 2 and 3, and can .be'secured to opposite sides of the annulus 21 in any suitable manner, as bysimultaneous rivetting (shown) or welding thereto. A suitable mounting means of any desired form may be employed, provided it does not unduly restrict the air passage through the aperture means 21a. In theforr'n of Figs. 2 and 3, merely as illustrative of a suitable mounting means, a hub 25 is shown, to which the blades 23a are suitably attached, said blades 23a in turn supporting the annulus 21 and the blades 22a, the whole constituting a double acting fan.

- Inthis form, also, the root portions 231) of the blades '23a,'which are of the propeller type and of conventional *pitch and serve as spokes for supporting thefans and annulus 21 on the hub 25, are also twisted. With this arrangement the portion23b of the fan 23 pulls air directly through the opening 21a and assures that most er the air driven by the fan 23 is drawn through the area A, ,Fig- 1 and the opening 21a. Since the blades 23a, especially when backed up by. the annulus or housing portion 21, tend to throwair both rearwardly and outwardly 'and to draw it centrifugally outwardly because of the practical and sometimesdesirable to employ a hood over the engine :provided with side closures extending at least part way of the length of the engine, as well as a top closure, to confine the impelled air about the engine. This enclosure, which further protects the engine from the weather, is 'practical with the present invention, since the 'air that passes through the hottest area B, reduces the temperature, 'at the area A so that the second portion .-.of' the'divided air stream therefrom is not as warm as it would otherwise be.

In the modification of Figs. 4-5, the parts corresponding to. those of Figs. 1-3 bear the same minerals, in-

creased by 100. .In this 'form the efiectively annular housing portion 121 itself carries the spokes 123b and tor -core 11. "As is best shown in Fig. 3, in the illustrated form the centrifugal fan means 22 comprises proun... a... hub plate 125, having bolt holes a therein by which the fan assambly may-be bolted to the hub of'the drive pulley 15 (Fig. 1). Also in this embodiment the blades 123a are duplicates of the blades 122a, but attached with opposite pitch, and the centrifugal action of the blades 123a is relied upon to cause rarification outside the aperture means 121a so that the air flow through the area A will be augmented.

While relative proportionsof the parts are nothighly critical, for a tractor, say-of the CaterpillarD4 size that normally has a fan diameter of approximately 22 inches, fans 22 and 23 of similar outside diameter maybe emdp ran a s t re 1a. o abml nert r the diameter of annulus 21, say approximately seven inches in diameter; the blading of the fans being preferably substantially coextensive with the radial depth of the annulus i.e. 7 /2 inches long, when the fan is formed as in Figs. 4 and 5 Theblades in such case may be pitched to extend approximately two inchesrrom the plate 21 'or 121 attlieir trailing edges. Wi'th "such proportions tractors of the kind designated have been operated a mijr'nber of days withoutshutdown' for radiator dust me -6m under thesameterr'ain and weather conditions thatfr'equired dust blow-out at two hour intervals with the'conventional fan installations. D

7 While the invention is especially adapted for the type of service discussed above, it Willbe appreciated that'it may usefully be employed with any installation including a radiator like element requiring air circulation therethrough, or "with such an installation that further includes an engine or equivalent element requiring a second circulation of cooling air. I I

While there have been described herein whatare *at present considered preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention. :It is thereforeto be understood that the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive ofthe invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for cooling the radiator of an internal combustion engine or the like, com ru'ising.ahousing adjacent said radiator, the interior of said housinglbeing in communication with air passing through said radiator, said housing having an'outlet opening therein, fan-means and means for driving the same for drawing airtinto said housing through central portions. of said radiator, said fan meansco'mprising means for'bl'owing a part of said air outwardly from said housing through marginal POP 'tions of said radiator and means for simultaneously'propelling a part of said air outwardly through said'housing opening and away from said housing, said "means for blowing air through marginal portionsof said. radiator comprising propeller typeblades'disposed laterally of said opening for driving centrifugally and toward saidm'arg'inal portions of said radiator air drawn through the portion of said radiator opposite said opening.

2. Apparatus. according to claim 1, said means-for propelling air through said, housing opening comprising propeller type blades at least in part overlying said open- 3. Apparatus. for ,coolingtheradiator of .an-internal combustion engine or the like, comprisingfa hons-ingadja'centflsaid radiator, theinterior of said housing being in communication with air passing through said radiator, said housing having an outlet opening therein, fan rjneans and means for driving the same for drawing air into said housing through central portions of said radiator, said fan means comprising means for blowing a part of said air outwardly from said housing through marginalportions of said radiator and means for simultaneously propelling apart of said air outwardly through said housing opening and away from said housing, the portion of the housing having a generally circular opening therein being substantially in the form of a flat annular plate lying in substantially the same plane as the immediately surrounding portion of the housing and closely spaced thereto, said annular plate being attached to at least one of said fan means and rotating therewith.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, said annular plate being attached to both of said fan means and forming a single unit therewith.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, said fan means comprising propeller blades of opposite pitch, respectively, with their leading edges disposed against opposite faces of said annular plate and secured thereto 6. A double action fan means of the class described, comprising means defining an axis of rotation of the fan, and spaced along said axis a first set of propeller type blades, a flat plate having an air passage centrally thereof, and a second set of propeller type blades, said first set of blades being located radially outwardly of said air passage at a first side of said plate, said second set of blades being located at the opposite side of said plate to draw air through said air passage from said first side of said plate, said two sets of blades being of opposite pitch for driving air at both sides of said plate radially outwardly and away from said plate while causing air to flow through said plate.

7. A double action fan means according to claim 6, said apertured plate being effectively annular and being attached to at least one of said sets of blades.

8. A double action fan means according to claim 7, said annular plate being attached to both said sets of blades and forming a single unit therewith.

9. A double action fan means according to claim 6, said sets of blades having their leading edges co-radial.

10. A double action fan means comprising two sets of propeller type blades of opposite pitch, and a centrally apertured plate arranged between said two sets of blades, and providing air passage means centrally of the fan, said sets of blades having their leading edges co-radial, said apertured plate being effectively annular and being joined to both said sets of blades at the co-radial leading edges thereof.

11. A cooling system for an installation comprising a heat generating engine or the like, a radiator through which cooling air is drawn, and a fan means associated with said radiator; said system being particularly charac- 6 terized in that said fan means comprises two sets of fan blades of opposite pitch and an elfectively annular plate arranged between said two sets of fan blades, a casing extending from the margins of said radiator and terminating in a circular opening substantially at the edge of said annular plate, and means for rotating said fan means.

12. An improved method of cooling an installation comprising a heat generating engine or the like and adjacent thereto a radiator through which cooling air is drawn, which method comprises drawing the cooling air toward said engine through a first part of said radiator, dividing the cooling air drawn through said first part into two portions, passing only the second portion of said cooling air about the engine, and simultaneously passing the first portion of the cooling air in reversed flow away from said engine through the remainder of the radiator.

13. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the cooling air is drawn toward said engine through the central part of the radiator and in that the first portion thereof is displaced radially from the second portion thereof and passed back through the radiator away from said engine through the portions of the radiator surrounding said central portion;

14. An improved method of cooling a radiator of the type described particularly adapted to prevent clogging of the radiator when operating in a dusty ambient cooling atmosphere, which comprises drawing a current of cooling air inwardly from the ambient atmosphere through the central portion of the radiator core in one direction, and simultaneously forcing at least a part of said current of air outwardly into the ambient atmosphere through the marginal portions of said radiator core in the opposite direction for blowing dust away from the region immediately surrounding said central portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 17,664 Brough June 30, 1857 2,654,354 Sanders Oct. 6, 1953 2,703,075 Sanders Mar. l, l955 2,790,596 Stirling Apr. 30, 157

FOREIGN PATENTSl 436,065 France Jan. 13, 1912

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