EP3099907A1

EP3099907A1 - Tank for coolant liquid of a heat engine and for engine and/or transmission lubricant, and circuit including same

Info

Publication number: EP3099907A1
Application number: EP14708927.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Laurent Coldre; Benjamin Swoboda
Original assignee: Hutchinson SA
Current assignee: Hutchinson SA
Priority date: 2014-01-30
Filing date: 2014-01-30
Publication date: 2016-12-07
Also published as: CA2936474A1; US20170145897A1; KR20160135703A; CN106661999A; WO2015114225A1; JP2017507272A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tank for storing a coolant liquid and an engine and/or transmission lubricant for a heat engine of a motor vehicle, as well as to a circuit for cooling and thermal control of said engine. Said tank (1) is defined by a thermally insulating outer wall (2) including an intake (31) and an outlet (32) for said liquid, and includes heating means (3a) on the inside of the wall that are capable of preheating the liquid with a view to cold-starting the vehicle. According to the invention, the tank comprises a first compartment (3) for the liquid, which is provided with said intake and said outlet, and at least one other compartment (4, 5) which is suitable for storing an engine or transmission lubricant and which is separated from the first compartment by a watertight bulkhead (6) in a lower area of the first compartment, said compartments each containing at least one local heating means (3a, 4a, 5a) as the heating means.

Description

TANK FOR THERMAL ENGINE COOLING LIQUID AND MOTOR AND / OR TRANSMISSION LUBRICANT, AND INCORPORATING CIRCUIT. The present invention relates to a reservoir for storing a cooling liquid and an engine lubricant and / or transmission for a motor vehicle engine, as well as a circuit for cooling and thermal regulation of this engine. . The invention applies generally to the control of the temperature of the coolant and the engine lubricant and / or transmission for all motor vehicles incorporating an internal combustion engine (particularly for land vehicles that can be automobiles , for example of the tourism or heavy goods vehicles, rail, sea or river), as well as hybrid vehicles incorporating in addition an electric motor or a storage battery, in particular for preheating the heat engine of a hybrid vehicle ( with starting on an electric motor, preheating the engine and then starting the engine), for preheating the passenger compartment or any other body or system of a vehicle (for example the battery or the electronic systems).

Document US-A-6,102,103 and US-B2-8 are known

191 618 to heat the coolant of a motor vehicle engine, for the purpose of cold starting of the vehicle, by means of a thermally insulating outer wall tank filled with phase change materials (PCM) in contact with the engine a heat exchanger with tubes provided with fins.

A major disadvantage of existing cooling and thermal control systems lies in the lack of means to simply and effectively control the temperature of the engine lubricant and transmission used for the heat engines or to heat these lubricants at the same time as the cooling liquid.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tank adapted to store a coolant of a heat engine of a motor vehicle within a cooling circuit and thermal control of the engine, which tank remedies this disadvantage including allowing to maintain the coolant and engine lubricants and / or transmission at a uniform temperature and preheat these fluids at one or more temperatures determined that the engine is hot or cold, the reservoir being delimited by a thermally insulating external wall having an inlet and an outlet for this liquid, the reservoir comprising inside the the wall of the heating means which are able to preheat the liquid for the cold start of the vehicle.

For this purpose, a tank according to the invention comprises a first compartment for the cooling liquid which is provided with said inlet and of said outlet, and at least one other compartment which is adapted to store a lubricant of the engine or a transmission lubricant. (ie another engine oil compartment and / or other separate transmission oil compartment) and which is separated from the first compartment by a bulkhead at a lower area of said first compartment, said first compartment and said at least one compartment another compartment each containing at least one local heating means as heating means.

By "bulkhead" means in this description a partition perfectly sealed to the various fluids located on either side of this partition. Specifically, the bulkhead separating said at least one other compartment and said first compartment is sealed to the coolant and the lubricant of the engine or transmission.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, said at least one local heating means comprises at least one phase change material (PCM), it being specified that this local heating means may vary from one compartment to another.

It will be noted, however, that other local heating means can be used alternatively or in addition to MCP, for example by chemical means and / or by refractory materials, without limitation. As phase change material (s) usable in a tank according to the invention, mention may be made, by way of example and in no way limitative, of fatty acids, such as stearic acid, it being specified that it is possible to use a mixture of several saturated and / or unsaturated fatty acids comprising, for example, stearic acid. Note however that MCP for example selected from hydrated or metal salts, paraffins and / or polyolefins are also usable.

It should be noted that the inclusion of this partitioned monoblock tank according to the invention in a cooling and thermal regulation circuit of the engine allows a satisfactory thermal regulation of the heating of the cooling liquid, the engine lubricant and / or the transmission lubricant when restarting the vehicle by this engine. Indeed, after the engine has been stopped, the coolant remains for a while at a relatively high temperature of about 70 to 90 ° C, so that the or each molten MCP releases heat into the engine. corresponding fluid, which is already relatively hot when restarting the engine. This results in a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in the exhaust and overconsumption of fuel, compared to what is observed with a cold engine. In the same way, the heating of the engine oil and / or the transmission oil allows optimized operation of the operation of the engine of the vehicle.

It will also be noted that a tank according to the invention may incorporate auxiliary means for heating or preheating the cooling liquid and possibly engine lubricant and / or lubricant which are other than said at least one phase-change material, these auxiliary means comprising, for example, electrical resistances directly housed in said first compartment for (pre) heating the cooling liquid and / or in the other compartment (s) to (pre) heat the engine lubricant and / or the lubricant of transmission.

According to another characteristic of the invention, said first compartment may extend at least partly in one direction. substantially vertical and said at least one other compartment may extend generally below said first compartment in a substantially horizontal direction.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the reservoir comprises two said other compartments which consist respectively of a first other compartment adapted to store said engine lubricant and a second other compartment adapted to store said transmission lubricant. , which each contain said at least one phase change material and which are separated from each other by another bulkhead.

As explained above with reference to said bulkhead, said other bulkhead is sealed to both the transmission lubricant and the engine lubricant.

It will be noted that the integration of a reservoir according to the invention with the engine compartment makes it possible to keep the quantity of fluids (ie engine lubricant and transmission lubricant) at an almost constant volume, with respect to a motor compartment not equipped with this reservoir of the invention.

Even more advantageously, said first other compartment and / or said second other compartment can be separated from said first compartment by said watertight partition which is formed on a lower face of said first compartment, the reservoir being generally L-shaped or T-shaped. return.

Preferably, said other watertight partition is substantially perpendicular to said first watertight partition.

According to another characteristic of the invention, said bulkhead and said other bulkhead may each be adapted to achieve thermal bridges so as to maintain the coolant, said engine lubricant and said transmission lubricant at at least a uniform temperature .

Advantageously, said bulkhead and said other watertight partition may have thermal permeabilities adapted to achieve these thermal bridges (ie which are obtained by the design and materials of the partitions) and / or heat pipes passing through these partitions (ie these thermal bridges are obtained by these heat pipes which allow the exchange of heat between compartments).

According to another characteristic of the invention, said first

Compartment and said at least one other compartment may respectively be provided with support structures of said at least one phase-change material, these support structures being able to be integral with said outer wall and being compatible with said coolant and with said lubricant of the engine and / or said transmission lubricant.

Advantageously, said support structures may comprise hollow tubes with closed ends containing said at least one phase-change material.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the reservoir may further comprise means forming an expansion vessel and

5 degassing which are located in an upper zone of the tank formed above said first compartment.

According to another characteristic of the invention, said external wall of the reservoir may comprise two envelopes and a super thermal insulation airgel disposed between these envelopes and optionally combined with vacuum.

As a variant of this airgel, it will be noted that the thermal insulation can be made between these two envelopes by vacuum, a single thermal insulator and / or a radiation-reflecting coating.

It should be noted, however, that other super-insulating outer wall structures can be used, so that the coolant, the engine lubricant and possibly the transmission lubricant are perfectly thermally insulated from the environment outside the tank.

Advantageously, said outer wall may have at least partly a rounded cross section, for example circular, o conferring a geometry of revolution (e.g. cylindrical or spherical).

It will be noted that this particular geometry of the reservoir of the invention advantageously makes it possible to confer resistance satisfactory at negative pressures resulting from suction or evacuation.

A circuit according to the invention for cooling and thermal regulation of a heat engine of a motor vehicle comprises

5 essentially the heat engine, a thermostatic housing connected to a heating system, a coolant tank connected by a loop to this engine and to this housing and a radiator of this engine, and the circuit is characterized in that this tank is as defined above.

According to another characteristic of the invention, said first compartment can be located at the rear and on substantially the entire height of the engine.

According to another characteristic of the invention, said at least one other compartment may be located below and on at least a part of the length of the heat engine.

The fluids stored in the tank according to the invention can join their containment by gravity, moving members such as lifting pumps can be used if necessary to replace them elsewhere in their respective circuits.

As indicated in the preamble of the present description, it will be noted that the coolant stored in a tank of the invention and flowing in said cooling and thermal regulation circuit can also serve to cool an electric motor or a battery of accumulators fitted to a hybrid motor vehicle.

Other features, benefits and details of this

The invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of several exemplary embodiments of the invention, given by way of nonlimiting illustration, said description being made with reference to the accompanying drawings, among which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view in vertical section in a longitudinal plane of a motor vehicle extending from the rear to the front of its engine compartment, of a tank according to an example of the invention comprising a first compartment and two other contiguous compartments, FIG. 2 is a side (left) view of the engine compartment according to a variant of the invention as visible in FIG. 3,

FIG. 3 is a side and top perspective view of the front of the engine compartment of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a view from above of the engine compartment of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a view of the rear of the engine compartment of FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a view from below of the engine compartment of FIG. 3,

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of a cooling and thermal regulation circuit, showing its operation when starting with a cold coolant tank, FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram of the cooling circuit. according to FIG. 7, showing its operation when starting with this reservoir of coolant which is hot and operating at a temperature below 100 ° C.

FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of the cooling circuit according to FIG. 7, showing its operation during a start with the coolant reservoir which is hot and operating at a temperature above 100 ° C., and

FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram of a cooling circuit according to the invention, showing its operation when starting with a tank of the invention which is cold and further the thermal regulation of the lubricant temperature of the engine provided by this tank.

The monoblock tank 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 is delimited by an outer wall 2 forming, in substantially vertical section, an inverted asymmetric T, with:

- In its vertical part forming the leg of the T and located at the rear of the engine compartment inside the hood of the vehicle, a first compartment 3 containing the engine engine coolant the vehicle, having a 3i inlet and an outlet 3 ₂ for the liquid and provided with means of (pre) heating room 3a of the liquid, and

in its horizontal part forming the upside-down vertex of the T and extending from the rear to the front of the engine compartment, two other compartments 4 and 5 each having an inlet 4-i, 5i and an outlet 4 ₂ , 5 ₂ and which are respectively provided with means (pre) local heating 4a and 5a including a rear compartment 4 containing the engine oil and a front compartment 5 containing the transmission oil.

Optionally, each inlet 4i, 5i is provided with a solenoid valve to transfer the corresponding oil to the compartment 4, 5 after stopping the engine, by gravity. Also optionally, each outlet 4 ₂ , 5 ₂ is provided with means for reinjecting the oil concerned into the corresponding oil circuit, such as a lifting pump provided with hoses.

According to the invention, the first compartment 3 is sealed in a sealed horizontal partition 6 compartments 4 and 5, which are separated from each other by a vertical partition 7 waterproof. As for the local (pre) heating means 3a, 4a, 5a, they each comprise, for example, a phase change material (s) (MCP) 3a, 4a, 5a possibly combined with other means of (pre) auxiliary heating such as electrical resistors. These MCPs 3a, 4a, 5a are advantageously supported by hollow tubes 3b, 4b, 5b with closed ends secured to the inner face of the wall 2 in each of the three sealed compartments 3, 4 and 5 (these tubes receiving the MCP are not shown only partially in the diagram of Figure 1).

In addition, the tank 1 comprises in this example of Figure 1 an expansion and degassing vessel 8 which overcomes the upper compartment 3 and which is separated from the latter by a partition 9.

In the variant of FIGS. 2 to 6, the tank V according to the invention has its outer wall 2 'which has a substantially L-shaped (or asymmetrical inverted T) shape, as can be seen in FIG. 2 with, at the rear of the engine compartment, the first compartment 3 'containing the coolant which extends globally vertically from a vase expansion and degassing 8 'to the compartment 4' containing the engine oil (this expansion vessel 8 'is separated from the compartment 3' by a partition 9 '). This compartment 4 'is separated from the compartment 3' by a horizontal partition 6 'sealed and extends generally horizontally from rear to front to the front compartment 5' containing the transmission oil from which it is separated by another bulkhead 7 'substantially vertical.

Note that the transmission (including the gearbox) is not visible on the engine compartment of Figures 2 to 6 for the sake of clarity, but that this transmission is actually in the extension of the engine 10 over the compartment 5 '.

With reference to the example of FIG. 1 and to the variant according to the invention of FIGS. 2 to 6, all the partitions 6, 7, 9 or 6 ', 7', 9 'that comprise the tank 1, V are adapted to provide thermal bridges (see the arrows with two points of Figure 1) on both sides of these partitions 6, 7, 9 or 6 ', 7', 9 'in order to maintain the cooling liquid and engine and transmission oils at a homogeneous temperature.

It will be noted that the tank 1, 1 'according to the invention may have a variable shape other than those illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, the essential being that it is adapted to the architecture of the engine by being directly integrated with the available space in the engine compartment.

FIGS. 7 to 10 show the main elements, members and loops of a fluid cooling and thermal regulation circuit according to the example of the invention of FIG. 10, in which, at each of these four figures, the loop in function is marked with dashes and the elements are identified as follows:

Storage tank 1a of the single coolant also forming expansion vessel 8;

1 "storage tank according to the invention of the coolant with expansion tank 8 and compartment 4 for engine oil (Figure 10);

Safety cap 8a (1, 4 10 ⁵ Pa);

Heat engine 10; Thermostatic housing 11;

Pump 12 connected to the engine 10 for this liquid;

Oil pump 13 connected to the engine 10 (Figure 10);

Turbocharger 14 connected to the engine 10;

5 - Heating system 15 connected to the housing 11;

Degassing 16;

Radiator 17 of the engine 10 connected to the housing 11; and

Buckle 18 associated with an electric motor 19, with a radiator 20, an inverter 21, an "STT" 22 and a pump 23.

o In Figure 7 which illustrates the closed loop B1 in function when starting the vehicle with the reservoir 1a for storing the coolant only in the cold state, we see that this loop B1 is limited to the engine 0 and the housing thermostatic 11.

In FIG. 8 which illustrates the closed loop B2 in function when the vehicle is started with the reservoir 1a for storing the only coolant which is hot but at an operating temperature of less than 100 ° C., it can be seen that this loop B2 relates to the tank 1a in addition to the heat engine 10 and the thermostatic housing 11.

In FIG. 9, which illustrates the closed loop B3 in function when the vehicle is started with the reservoir 1a for storing the only coolant that is hot and at an operating temperature of more than 100 ° C., it can be seen that this loop B3 relates to the radiator 17 of the engine 10 in addition to the tank 1a, the engine 10 and the housing 11.

In FIG. 10, which illustrates the closed loop B4 in function when the vehicle is started up with the reservoir 1 "according to the invention, with coolant and engine oil which is cold, it can be seen that this loop B4 relates to the compartment 4 of the engine oil in addition to the engine 10 and thermostatic housing 11 which were only concerned in Figure 7.

Finally, it should be noted generally that the engine management o hot / cold engine is managed by the system on the vehicle, subsystems such as solenoid valves or pumps. circulation / transfer to circulate or not the coolant.

Claims

1) Tank (1, 1 ', 1 ") adapted to store a coolant of a heat engine (10) of a motor vehicle within a cooling and thermal regulation circuit of the engine, the reservoir being delimited by a thermally insulating external wall (2, 2 ') having an inlet (3 and an outlet (3 ₂ ) for this liquid, the tank comprising, inside the wall, heating means (3a) which are capable of preheating said liquid for cold starting of the vehicle, characterized in that the reservoir comprises a first compartment (3, 3 ') for the coolant which is provided with said inlet and outlet, and at least one other compartment (4 or 4 ', 5 or 5') which is adapted to store an engine lubricant or a transmission lubricant and which is separated from the first compartment by a bulkhead (6, 6 ') at a lower area of said first compartment , said first compartment and said at least one other compartment each containing at least one local heating means (3a, 4a, 5a) as heating means.

2) tank (1, 1 ', 1 ") according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one local heating means (3a, 4a, 5a) comprises at least one phase change material (3a, 4a, 5a).

3) tank (1, 1 ', 1 ") according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said first compartment (3, 3') extends at least partly in a substantially vertical direction and in that said at at least one other compartment (4 or 4 ', 5 or 5') extends generally below said first compartment in a substantially horizontal direction.

4) tank (1, l ') according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the reservoir comprises two said other compartments

(4 or 4 'and 5 or 5') which respectively consist of a first other compartment (4 or 4 ') adapted to store said lubricant of the engine and a second further compartment (5 or 5 ') adapted to store said transmission lubricant, each of which contains said at least one phase change material (4a and 5a) and which are separated from each other by another watertight bulkhead (7 or 7 ').

5) tank (1, l ') according to claim 4, characterized in that said first other compartment (4 or 4') and / or said second other compartment (5 or 5 ') are separated from said first compartment (3 or 3 ') by said watertight bulkhead (6 or 6') which is formed on a lower face of said first compartment, the tank generally having an L-shaped or T-shape returned.

6) tank (1, 1 ') according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said other bulkhead (7 or 7') is substantially perpendicular to said first bulkhead (6 or 6 ').

7) tank (1, 1 ') according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that said bulkhead (6 or 6') and said other bulkhead (7 or 7 ') are each adapted to achieve thermal bridges of so as to maintain the coolant, said engine lubricant and said transmission lubricant at at least a homogeneous temperature.

8) tank (1, l ') according to claim 7, characterized in that said bulkhead (6 or 6') and said other bulkhead (7 or 7 ') have thermal permeabilities adapted to achieve these thermal bridges and / or heat pipes passing through these partitions.

9) tank (1, l ') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first compartment (3 or 3') and said at least one other compartment (4 or 4 ', 5 or 5') are respectively provided with support structures (3b, 4b, 5b) of said at least one phase change material (3a, 4a, 5a), said support structures being integral with said outer wall (2, 2 ') and being compatible with said coolant and with said engine lubricant and / or with said transmission lubricant.

10) tank (1, l ') according to claim 9, characterized in that said support structures comprise hollow tubes (3b, 4b,

5b) with closed ends containing said at least one phase change material (3a, 4a, 5a).

11) tank (1, 1 ', 1 ") according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reservoir further comprises means forming an expansion vessel and degassing (8, 8') which are located in an upper zone of the tank formed above said first compartment (3, 3 ') 12) Tank (1, I') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said external wall (2, 2 ') of the tank comprises two envelopes and a super thermal insulation airgel disposed between these envelopes 13) A tank (1, 1 ') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said external wall (2, 2') has at least partly a rounded cross-section, for example circular, giving it a geometry of revolution 14) Circuit for cooling and thermal regulation of a heat engine (10) of a motor vehicle, the circuit essentially comprising the heat engine, a thermostatic housing (11) connected to a heating system (15), a coolant reservoir (1, 1 ', 1 ") connected by a loop (B4) to this engine and to this housing and a radiator (17) of this engine, characterized in that this reservoir is as defined in one of the preceding claims. 15) Circuit according to claim 14, characterized in that said first compartment (3, 3 ') is located at the rear and over substantially the entire height of the engine (10). 16) Circuit according to claim 15, characterized in that said at least one other compartment (4 or 4 ', 5 or 5') is located below and over at least a portion of the length of the engine (10).