AU2017286092B2

AU2017286092B2 - Vehicle having an engine-cooling system

Info

Publication number: AU2017286092B2
Application number: AU2017286092A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Detlev Eckhoff; Florian Leiber; Dirk LEPTHIEN
Original assignee: Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH
Current assignee: Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH
Priority date: 2016-06-13
Filing date: 2017-06-12
Publication date: 2022-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 2037-06-12
Also published as: AU2017286092A1; HUE060404T2; SI3469298T1; WO2017216109A1; EP3469298A1; ES2927002T3; DE102016121372A1; EP3469298B1; PL3469298T3; DK3469298T3

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle (1), having a hull roof (6) and a cooling system (3) for an engine of the vehicle (1). The cooling system (3) has at least one cooler (4, 5), having at least one coolant cooler (11, 12) and one fan (13, 14). The vehicle (1) itself is covered from above by additional armor (7). The additional armor (7) is spaced apart from the hull roof (6) and preferably has a peripheral collar (8), which protrudes beyond the hull roof (6), whereby an opening (9) is created, which can be used as a cooling air inlet (10) of the cooling system (3).

Description

Vehicle having an Engine Cooling System

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention concerns engine cooling for a specially armoured vehicle. Specifically, the invention relates to a front or rear cooling system, usable for engine cooling.

BACKGROUND A reference herein to a patent document or any other matter identified as prior art, is not to be taken as an admission that the document or other matter was known or that the information it contains was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims.

In military vehicles, such as Leopard or Marder battle tanks, the drive system is designed as a complete drive unit, consisting of an engine and a flanged gearbox and flanged reversing and steering gears. The engine is located on the front side or, as is the case in the Leopard 2, on the rear side of the vehicle. The cooling and exhaust system in turn is placed in the rear part to keep the infra-red signature of the front as low as possible. The fans of the cooling system are located on the rear trough flap under additional armour. In this case, the fans of the Marder, for example, are to the left and right of the required tailgate, directed upward and in the rear of the vehicle. On the vehicle, the necessary cooling inlet and cooling outlet of the cooling system are covered with a grating that prevents the straight passage of shots, splinters, or the like.

A tank grating and a grating for bulletproof coverage of air inlet and outlet openings are examined more closely in DE 79 20 402 Ul or DE 15 78 345 C3.

DE 42 23 223 Al reveals a device for engine coolers of off-road vehicles. The suction opening is shielded by a ballistic protective grid. To prevent the penetration of solids, such as soil, sand, and dust, the proposed design stipulates a suction opening for the cooling air to be placed at the rear side of the vehicle. Through an upstream partition wall in the angle to the outlet opening plane, an inlet opening facing the floor serves as an upward tapering suction duct.

DE 20 2006 003 956 Ul also describes a device for avoiding engine room dirt. Behind a protective or fire grating, there is a cyclone filter placed in front of an axial fan.

A disadvantage of integrating ballistic gratings, especially in the inlet and outlet area of the cooling air, is that the air must be sucked and discharged through the gratings. This requires a powerful fan. Strong ventilators are large and have a considerable fan resistance. They are also very expensive.

Here, the invention seeks to avoid these disadvantages and provide an engine cooling system that achieves sufficient cooling without compromising the necessary ballistic protection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a vehicle with a trough flap and a cooling system for an engine of the vehicle, the cooling system having at least one cooler with at least one coolant radiator and a fan, the vehicle being covered by additional armour from above, wherein the additional armour is spaced from the trough flap and has a circumferential collar protruding over the trough flap

, creating an opening for use as a cooling air inlet of the cooling system.

The invention seeks to provide a vehicle having an engine cooling system with an optimal performance oriented protection at minimal weight and low costs.

To reduce weight, DE 1262 145 A already stipulates a deflector grid to be placed between a liquid cooler and a grating and for the wall of the cooling air duct between the deflector grid and the grating to be lined with a tough, soft covering. As a result, the grating can be implemented in a weight-saving design. However, gratings are still necessary.

Another approach would be to minimise the flow resistance in order to achieve a maximum cooling capacity with minimal drive power, while still meeting the protection requirement. This approach precludes the use of a ballistic grating, particularly before a cooling air inlet. The cooling air outlet is also achieved without ballistic effect (protection).

The inventive idea is to integrate the cooling air inlet(s) of the cooling system in the vehicle such that this cooling air inlet or the suction area is above the trough flap, in the gap of the elevated (spaced) additional protective plate(s), so that no grating is needed here.

This is based on the assumption that a protected vehicle is already covered by a trough flap, on which at least one, preferably several additional protective plates with spacers are mounted as increased adaptive protection.

The additional protective plate(s) is/are spaced from the trough flap or from the vehicle chassis by the spacers. The additional protective plates also have, particularly in the rear area, a collar facing down, which should extend beyond the vehicle chassis. The collar will be formed circumferentially. In this case, the protective plate(s) protrude(s) sideways circumferentially and cover(s) the vehicle chassis.

By spacing the additional protective plates from the vehicle chassis or from the trough flap and the circumferential collar, a circumferential opening is created that can be used as (a) cooling air inlet(s). In the process, this circumferential collar forms ballistic protection for the vehicle as well as a ballistic cover for the cooling air inlet(s).

Below the cooling air inlet, a coolant radiator is integrated in the cooling air flow, which is functionally connected to a fan. As ventilation, a simple axial fan or radial fan with appropriate suction capacity can be used. The fan then pushes the cooled air from at least one cooling air outlet.

Beneficially, the present invention requires protecting only one area above the cooling air outlet from the outside and no longer the entire rear area. However, to ensure adequate safeguarding, further protection may be incorporated within the vehicle. This protection can be placed between the cooling system and the vehicle interior. Even protection of the cooling system from below is foreseeable. For the cooling air outlet itself, however, ballistic protection can be eliminated.

If the vehicle has a rear exit or a tailgate, the cooling system can be divided into a right and a left radiator. These radiators then each include at least one cooling air inlet, at least one coolant radiator paired toward it, and at least one fan functionally connected to it. The output of the fan is directed toward at least one cooling air outlet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An illustrated design example provides more details about the invention. It shows:

Fig. 1 a rear view of a vehicle with a tailgate, Fig. 2 a longitudinal partial section through a right radiator of the vehicle from Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a longitudinal partial section through a left radiator of the vehicle from Fig. 1,

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In Figure 1, an armoured vehicle 1, having a track 1.1, is illustrated in a rear view. In this example, there is a tailgate 2 on the rear side, shown in the middle of the rear side. A cooling system 3 (engine cooling system) is integrated on both sides of the tailgate 2 and is divided into a right cooler 4 and a left cooler 5. The vehicle 1 or its chassis or trough flap 6 is covered by at least one additional protective plate 7 from above. The additional protective plate 7 is spaced from the vehicle chassis or trough flap 6 and has a circumferential collar 8, which projects beyond the vehicle chassis or trough flap 6 on all sides.

Through this projecting collar 8, an opening 9 is formed, which can be used as (a) cooling air inlet(s) 10. This opening 9 is protected by the collar 8 itself. The collar 8 thereby also forms ballistic protection for the cooling air inlet(s) 10.

Fig. 2 and 3 show the installation and structure of the right or left radiator 4, 5 in the vehicle 1. The radiators 4, 5 each include, as a substantial component, a coolant radiator 11, 12, for each of which there is a functional fan 13, 14. The output of the respective fan 13, 14 (not shown in detail) is aligned with at least one cooling air outlet 15. This cooling outlet 15 itself is without ballistic effect. As ventilation 13, 14, axial fans can be used.

Protective plates 16 on the outside of the trough flap 6 are only in the area of the coolant radiators 11, 12 and the fans 13, 14. Other protective plates 17 are stipulated in the vehicle interior 19, i.e. the crew compartment. These shield the vehicle interior 19 from the respective radiator 4, 5. Protection has been proven to be adequate when the protective plates 17 in the vehicle 1 and the outer protective plates 16 emulate a closed, albeit offset, protective line. The protective plates 16, 17 do not need to overlap spatially. It therefore suffices if the inner protective plate 17 of the right radiator 4 or the inner protective plate 17 of the left radiator 5 in the vehicle ends at the height where the outer protective plate 16 attaches to the vehicle I or where the protection begins.

The inclusion of other protective plates 18, which are inserted between the inner protective plate(s) 17 and the lower cooling air outlet 15, preferably in oblique alignment, shall be stipulated if downward protection of the radiators 4, 5 seems necessary.

Claims

The Claims Defining the Invention are as Follows: 1. A vehicle with a trough flap and a cooling system for an engine of the vehicle, having at least one cooler with at least one coolant radiator and a fan, the vehicle being covered by additional armour from above, wherein the additional armour is spaced from the trough flap and has a circumferential collar protruding over the trough flap, creating an opening for use as a cooling air inlet of the cooling system.
2. A vehicle according to claim 1, including outer protective plates on the outside of the vehicle which are provided only in the area of the at least one coolant radiator and the fan.
3. A vehicle according to claim 2, the outer protective plates on the outside of the vehicle being provided in the rear area of the vehicle.
4. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the fan being directed at a cooling air outlet.
5. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the cooling outlet being without ballistic protection.
6. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the cooling system being integrated in the vehicle so that there is a radiator of the at least one coolant radiator on the right and/or left of a tailgate of the vehicle.
7. A vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein inside the vehicle inner protective plates are placed to seal the vehicle interior off from the at least one coolant radiator.
8. A vehicle according to claim 7 when dependent on claim 4, wherein other protective plates are inserted between the inner protective plates and the cooling air outlet in oblique alignment.