JPH05240020A - Control system of lubricating oil surface in a plurality of engine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To maintain the lube oil surface of each engine in the specified range of an oil surface level automatically by providing a filter and a first solenoid valve in the return pipe root of each oil pan of a plurality of engines, providing a second solenoid valve in each supplying pipe root, detecting the oil surface of each oil pan so as to open/close respective first and second solenoid valves, and providing a pressure response valve in each supplying pipe root. CONSTITUTION:Oil surface detectors 13a1-13an are installed in engines 11a1-11an provided with oil pans 12o1-12on. For example, a tandem pump 15a1 consists of the pump 14a1 of a supplying pipe 16a1 and the pump 14b1 of a return pipe 17a1. A filter F1 and a first solenoid valve 18a1 are provided in a parallel with each other in the return pipe 17a1, and the pump 14a1 and a second solenoid valve 19a1 are jaxtaposed in the supplying pipe 16a1. Those solenoid valves 18a1, 19a1 are controlled by signals of respective oil detector 13a1 and the like, and pressure response valve 20a1 is set so as to be opened by a specified pressure level. The lube oil surfaces of respective engines 11a1-11an are thus maintained automatically with the specified level range at all times.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is based on constant operation.
The present invention relates to an improvement of a lubricating oil level management system in a plurality of engines suitable for a plurality of internal combustion engines used in a so-called cogeneration system or a regular power generator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The applicant of the present invention has a problem in the conventional technique of circulating lubricating oil stored in an oil pan attached to an engine between the engine and the oil pan, and the oil pan has a large capacity. As a solution to the problem, the prior art related to the application of Japanese Patent Application No. 2-407156 shown in FIG. 2 was proposed first. In the figure, 1 is an engine with an oil pan 2, 3 is a supply pipe, and 4 is a supply pump. 10
Is a sub-tank of a separate type and is installed on the gantry 11. In this case, the height h ₁ of the gantry 11 is set to be higher than the level h ₂ of the set oil level of the oil pan 2 set by the below-described float type automatic oil supply device 17, so that the automatic oil supply device No pump is installed in the route 17 (auxiliary supply pipe 16). Reference numeral 12 is a main replenishment pipe for the lubricating oil, which is an electric valve 13 for stopping the engine and a pump 14a
Through the outlet 10a of the sub tank 10 and the oil pan 2
Are connected between the outlets 2a. Incidentally, 13a is a motor for operating the valve 13, and the motor-operated valve 13 can be replaced by a solenoid valve. Reference numeral 16 denotes an auxiliary supply pipe for lubricating oil, which is connected between the outlet 10b of the sub tank 10 and the outlet 2b of the oil pan 2 via an automatic float type oil supply device 17. The automatic refueling device 17 may be of a type other than the float type, and in this case, a pump (not shown) must be provided, but on the other hand, the pedestal 11 of the sub tank 10 can be omitted. Reference numeral 18 denotes a lubricating oil return pipe, which is connected via a pump 14b and a filter 19 between the upper outlet 10c of the sub tank 10 and the lower outlet 2c of the oil pan 2. The pumps 14a and 14b form a tandem pump 15 driven by a common motor 14c. Therefore,
When the flow rate of the return pipe 18 is Q _A and the flow rate of the main supply pipe 12 is Q _B , these flow rates Q _A and Q _B are set to be the same by the principle of the tandem pump 15. However,
If there is a difference between Q _A and Q _B , this difference Q _C is set to be within the range of the refueling capacity of the automatic fueling device 17.

[0003]

By the way, in the prior art, a filter 19 is inserted at the outlet side of the pump 14b in order to remove sludge in the oil discharged from the oil pan 2 of the engine 1. Since 19 is the flow path resistance, the flow rate Q _B by the pump 14b is more
The flow rate becomes smaller than the flow rate Q _{A of “} a”, and the oil level of the oil pan 2 rises. This is the pump 14
a and 14b are provided with safety valves, and when the flow path resistance increases, there is a valve that consumes itself and returns. In this case, the flow rate of the pump 14b is smaller than the flow rate of the pump 14a. Is. That is, even if both pumps 14a and 14b are driven by a common motor 14c through a gear so as to be driven by a tandem pump, the presence of the filter 19 causes the oil level of the oil pan 2 of the engine 1 to gradually rise. Therefore, this flow rate difference cannot be compensated by the adjustment by the automatic oil supply device 17, and in order to cope with this, it is necessary to monitor this phenomenon, operate the motor-operated valve 13, and occasionally stop the supply from the sub tank 10. It was a complicated situation. Moreover, in the lubricating oil circulation system that connects the oil pans of multiple engines and one sub-tank, the lubricating oil of the engine in operation is warmed when the engine that was stopped was driven. There was also a problem that the flow resistance due to the difference in lubricating oil viscosity between the lubricating oils would differ because the lubricating oil of the stopped engine was cold. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lubricating oil level management system for a plurality of engines, which solves the above-mentioned problems (problems) of the conventional one.

[0004]

According to the present invention, a plurality of engines equipped with an oil pan are separately provided with a common sub tank, and oil is provided with a pump for each route as a circulation path of lubricating oil. In a lubricating oil level management system for a plurality of engines equipped with a supply pipe between the pan and the engine, a supply pipe between the sub tank and the oil pan, and a return pipe between the oil pan and the sub tank, an oil level detector is provided for each oil pan. And a filter and a first solenoid valve are provided in parallel on the outlet side of the pumps in the return pipe routes, respectively, and a filter and a first solenoid valve are provided in parallel with the pumps in the supply pipe routes. Two solenoid valves are provided, and each of the first and second solenoid valves is opened by detecting the high level of the oil level of the oil pan by each of the oil level detectors, and the low level of the oil level of each oil pan is detected. By each Sit way, and each supply tube Le -
The present invention relates to a lubricating oil level management system in a plurality of engines in which a pressure response valve is provided between a pump and an oil pan. In this case, a common pump is provided for each of the return pipe route and the supply pipe route.
It is desirable to use a tandem pump driven by a motor.

[0005]

According to the present invention, an oil level detector is provided in the oil pan of each engine, and a filter inserted into the route of each return pipe and a pump inserted into the route of the supply pipe are provided. Since the first and second solenoid valves provided in parallel are provided, and the pressure response valve is provided between the root pump and the oil pan of each supply pipe, the following unique action is performed. .. First, for each engine in operation, when the oil level in those oil pans rises to a high level, the solenoid valves are opened, and in the return pipe route, the filter is operated by the solenoid valve on one side. Bypassing prevents the flow rate from decreasing by the filter, while at the route of the replenishing pipe, the action of the other solenoid valve to circulate the lubricating oil by the blocking action of the pressure response valve is surely performed, and the replenished lubrication is performed. By reducing the oil flow rate, the oil level in each oil pan is reduced from the high level. As a result, the oil level in the oil pan of each of the above-mentioned operating engines is surely reduced. When the oil level of each oil pan during operation is at a low level, the above solenoid valves are closed by the oil level detector to restore the function of the filter and replenish when the pressure to actuate the pressure response valve is reached. The circulation of the lubricating oil by the solenoid valve of the pipe root is stopped to increase the flow rate of the lubricating oil from the root of the supply pipe to the oil pan, and the oil amount in each oil pan during operation is set to a high level. Let go. When the oil level of each oil pan during operation reaches a high level, there is an operation by each oil level detector as described above. The above operation is repeated, and eventually the oil level of each oil pan during operation is Holds between both high and low levels.

[0006]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be described in detail with reference to an example shown in FIG. In the figure, 11a _{1 to} 11a _n are the first
To the n of the engine, 11o ₁ ~11o _n is an oil pan that comes with these engines. 13a ₁ ~13a _n are each in the oil level detector of each of the oil pan 12o ₁ ~12o _n, the oil surface of the oil pan of each comes out a high detection signal "1" when a predetermined high level H, Further, when each oil level reaches a predetermined low level L, a low level detection signal "0" is output. 15a _{1 to} 15a _n are first to n-th, respectively
In the tandem pump, each common mode - data 14c ₁ ~14
driven by c _n, the supply pipe 16a ₁ ~16a _n Le - pump 14a is inserted into the preparative ₁ to 14A _n and reversal pipe 17a ₁ to 1
Of 7a _n Le - constituted by the pump 14b ₁ ~14b _n which is inserted into and. F _{1 to} F _n are the _first to _nth return pipes 1 respectively
7a ₁ ~17a _n Le - each pump 14b in preparative ₁ to 1
4b _n outlet side inserted first and nth filters,
18a ₁ ~18a _n first solenoid valve connected in parallel to each first through filter of the n, 19a ₁ through 19a _n are each first
Pump 14a ₁ to 1 of the supply pipe 16a ₁ ~16a _n th to n
4a _n is a second solenoid valve connected in parallel. Each of these first solenoid valves 18a _{1 to} 18a _n and second solenoid valve 1
9a _{1 to} 19a _n are opened by the high level detection signals of the oil level detectors 13a _{1 to} 13a _n and closed by the low level detection signals. 20a ₁ through 20a _n is a pressure responsive valve of the respective first to n, each predetermined set pressure (e.g., 2 kg
open in f / cm ^2), in which it is closed in the following the pressure, is inserted into the outlet side of the pump 14a ₁ to 14A _n of the supply pipe 16a ₁ ~16a _n each first to n. The one end supply main pipe 16 of the supply pipe 16a ₁ ~16a _n, the other end is respectively connected to the outlet 12a ₁ ~12a _n of each oil pan 12o ₁ ~12o _n, one end of each reversal pipe 17a ₁ ~17a _n the reversal main 17, the other end is respectively connected to the outlet 12b ₁ ~12b _n of each oil pan 12o ₁ ~12o _n. 21 is a common sub tank for supplying the lubricating oil to the oil pan 12o ₁ ~12o _n, the base of the supply main pipe 17 outlet 21a
The base of the return main pipe 18 is inserted into the sub tank 21. 22 is a solenoid valve, 23 is an atmosphere port, 24a and 2
4b are auxiliary routes, respectively. In addition, each oil pan 12
The o ₁ ~12o _n, similar to that of a conventional, it included a lubricating oil reservoir itself via a separate pump the engine 11a
_Although there is a supply path for _{1 to} 11a _n ,
This is irrelevant to the gist of the present invention, and therefore its configuration and operation will be omitted.

In the above structure, the valve 22 is opened and the pumps 15a _{1 to} 15a _n are driven to supply the main supply pipe 16
From the supply tanks 16a _{1 to} 16a _n through the sub tank 21
The lubricating oil as well as supplied to the oil pan 12o ₁ ~12o _n from a portion of the lubricating oil in the oil pan 12o ₁ ~12o _n via each reversal pipe 17a ₁ ~17a _n via the reversal main pipe 17 Return to the sub tank 21 and circulate the lubricating oil.
By the way, in the present invention, each of the return pipes 17a _{1 to} 17a
a _n Le - filter is inserted into the preparative F ₁ to F _n and the supply pipe 1
Pumps 14a ₁ to 6a _{1 to} 16a _n inserted in the route
The first and second operation by the solenoid valves 18a ₁ ~18a _n and 19a ₁ through 19a _n respectively oil pan 12o ₁ ~12o _n oil level detector 13a ₁ ~13a _n of provided in parallel to each of 14a _n together configured to further pressure responsive valve 20a ₁ between the pump 14a ₁ to 14A _n and the oil pan 12o ₁ ~12o _n root of each supply pipe 16a ₁ ~16a _n
˜20a _n are provided. Therefore, when the oil level of each of the oil pans, for example, the oil pans 12o ₁ and 12o ₂ rises to reach a high level (H) for each operating engine, the solenoid valves 18a ₁ of these routes are operated. by opening each of 19a ₁ and 18a _2, 19a _2, reversal pipe 17a _1, of 17a ₂ Le - filter F ₁ in each filter F _1, F ₂ is bypassed by the electromagnetic valve 18a ₁ and 18a ₂ is bets, the flow rate of lubricating oil to compensate for reduced by flow resistance of the F _2, whereas, in the supply pipe 18a _1, 18a ₂ Le - preparative second by each blocking effect of the pressure圧応valve 20a _1, 20a ₂ is Solenoid valves 19a ₁ and 19a ₂ and pumps 14a ₁ ,
The oil level of the oil pans 12o ₁ and 12o ₂ is reduced by reliably circulating a part of the lubricating oil supplied between 14a ₂ and reducing the flow rate of the lubricating oil supplied. As a result, the oil level of each oil pan 12o ₁ and 12o ₂ decreases from the high level (H), and when the oil level of these oil pans 12o ₁ and 12o ₂ becomes the low level (L), The surface detectors 13a ₁ and 13a ₂ close the solenoid valves 18a ₁ , 19a ₁ and 18a ₂ and 19a ₂ to restore the functions of the filters F ₁ and F ₂ and pressurize the pressure response valves 20a ₁ and 20a. ₂ to activate the supply pipe rule
Since the partial circulation of the lubricating oil by the solenoid valves 19a ₁ and 19a ₂ of the engine is stopped, the flow rate of the lubricating oil on the side of the supply pipe root increases and the oil amount in the oil pans 12o ₁ and 12o ₂ increases to a high level. Go to (H). Therefore, the oil pans 12o ₁ and 12
The oil amount of o ₂ again becomes the high level (H), and the above control operation is automatically repeated in the same manner thereafter, and the oil level of these oil pans is automatically held between the H and L levels.

The above description is for two operating engines 11a.
_1, 11a oil pan 12o ₁ of _2, has been described the control of the circulation system of 12o ₂ and the sub-tank 21, the present invention is, in such operating condition, further, the engine for example, the engine 11a _n dormant operated If this happens, it will exert a particularly effective function, so we will supplement this point. Generally, the viscosity of lubricating oil decreases with its temperature. Therefore, a new order of the lubricating oil out of the temperature is not yet increased in the oil pan 12o _n operation is engine 11a _n, while the viscosity is still large, the engine 11a ₁ already in operation, 11a _Since the viscosity of the lubricating oil circulating through the circulation system between the oil pans 12o ₁ and 12o _{2 of 2} and the sub tank 21 is lowered due to the temperature increase, the following problems are caused by the difference in the viscosity of the lubricating oils of the two. Occurs. That opens the solenoid valve 19a _n connected in parallel to the pump 14a _n which is inserted into the supply pipe 16a _n to be supplied to the oil pan 12o _n, connecting the solenoid valve 19a _n and the pump 14a _n lubricating oil replenishment Even if the pressure response valve 20a _n does not exist even if it is circulated in a closed circuit, the viscosity of the lubricating oil in the supply pipe route is lower than that in the oil pan 12
to become smaller than the viscosity of the lubricating oil in o _n, the solenoid valve 19
Weight loss by a _n is will be supplied to the oil pan 12o _n without being, that put the electromagnetic valve 19a _n becomes meaningless. However, in the present invention, the pressure response valve 20
Since a _n exists, the pressure response valve 20a _n is closed until the pressure reaches a predetermined value, and the replenishment to the oil pan 12o _n is stopped. Therefore, between the solenoid valve 19a _n and the pump 14a _n . The circulation of the oil is forced, and the operation of the engine during rest does not affect the circulation of the lubricating oil.

[0009]

As described above, according to the present invention, each oil pan of a plurality of engines is provided with a special oil level detector, and the first and second solenoid valves operated by these oil level detectors are provided. A filter inserted in the route of the return pipe of each oil pan and a pump inserted in the route of each oil pan supply pipe are connected in parallel, and the pump of the route of the supply pipe of each oil pan and each oil pan are connected. Since the pressure response valve is provided separately between the two, it has the following excellent effects. In the lubricating oil circulation system between the oil pans of multiple engines and one common sub-tank, a filter is inserted in the route of each return pipe to make the lubricating oil of the circulation system a cleaner. In the management system of the lubricating oil level of the engine, even when a part of the plurality of engines starts operating in the middle, the lubricating oil circulates smoothly between each oil pan and the sub tank, and the lubrication of each engine is performed. The oil level can always be automatically maintained within a predetermined oil level level range.
Therefore, the system of the present invention is a system for managing the lubricating oil level of an engine, which has both of the features of the system of the separately installed sub-tank that can increase the amount of possession and the feature of the action of removing oil stains by the filter. Since the lubricating oil is always circulated properly between the oil pans and sub tanks of multiple engines, the replacement period of the lubricating oil can be maintained for an appropriate period, and the oil pan due to the flow path resistance of the filter like the conventional one can be maintained. There is no need to monitor the lubricating oil to be replenished, so the maintenance is easy. Further, according to the present invention, since the root of the conventional automatic replenishing device 17 can be omitted, the system configuration can be simplified accordingly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view including a piping diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view including a piping diagram showing a configuration of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

11a ₁ ~11a _n: engine 12o ₁ ~12o _n: oil pan 21: sub tank 14a ₁ to 14A _n: the supply pipe le - pump 14b is inserted into the preparative _{1 ~14b n:} Reversal tube Le - pump inserted bets F ₁ to F _n: filter 13a ₁ ~13a _n: oil level detector 18a ₁ ~18a _n: a first solenoid valve 19a ₁ through 19a _n: the second solenoid valve 20a ₁ through 20a _n: pressure responsive valve

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of engines with oil pans,
A common sub-tank is installed separately, and a pump is provided in each route as a circulation path for lubricating oil. A supply pipe between the oil pan and the engine, a supply pipe between the sub-tank and the oil pan, and between the oil pan and the sub-tank. In a system for managing the lubricating oil level in a plurality of engines equipped with return pipes, each oil pan is provided with an oil level detector, and a filter is provided at each pump outlet side in each return pipe route. And a first solenoid valve are provided in parallel, and a second solenoid valve is provided in parallel with each pump in each supply pipe route.
And each of the second solenoid valves is opened by detecting the high level of the oil level of the oil pan by each of the oil level detectors, and closed by detecting the low level of the oil level of each oil pan. A lubricating oil level management system for a plurality of engines, wherein a pressure response valve is provided between a root pump and an oil pan. 2. The return pipe routes and the supply pipe routes
2. The lubricating oil level management system for a plurality of engines according to claim 1, wherein the pumps provided in each engine are constituted by a tandem pump driven by a common motor.