US2537694A

US2537694A - Internal-combustion engine

Info

Publication number: US2537694A
Application number: US678626A
Authority: US
Inventors: Orion O Oaks
Original assignee: THERMAL LIQUIDS Inc
Current assignee: THERMAL LIQUIDS Inc
Priority date: 1946-06-22
Filing date: 1946-06-22
Publication date: 1951-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-09

Description

Jan. 9, 1951 o. o. oAKs INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 22, 1946 INVENTOR Jan. 9, 1951 o. o. OAKS INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22; 1946 INVENTOR O ION O- OAKS RNEY Patented Jan. 9, i951 -o .s TATJES INTERNAL-COMBUSTIGN ENGINE -rion 0. Oaks, Summit, Nrl assignor, by mesne assignments, to ihermal Liquids, Inc., New York,'N. Y.,' a corporationof Delaware AppIica'tiOnJune-ZZ, 1946J'Se1ial No. 6723;626

The xpresentsinvention relates to improved internal combustion engines.

More particularly, the invention is directed to improved combustion engines 'employinga liquid of zthe character of tetracresylsilicate serving as the cooling medium which is circulated in the cooling channel circuit of the internal combustion engines such-as spark ignited internalcombustion engines of thetypes commonly employed :in the propulsion of automobiles, airplanes, and

the like,. also :forDieselengines, jet propelled engines, etc.

Outstanding characteristics of tetracresylsilipate serving as such cooling medium are its-boiling point-of approximately-:8l'7-825 its lowsolidi- Tying or freezing point below 65 F.,"at which last named temperature it becomes viscous, its

specific gravity of 1513, its specific heat of .43, its

low coefiicient of expansion approximately .000047 per 1 F., its non-poisonous, non-explosive, and

Tetracresylsilicate possesses the further advantage that throughout the range of temperature to which the cooling medium, pursuant .to the invention, is subjected inthe operation of internal combustion engines,includingDiesel types of internal combustion engines, vaporization of the cooling medium is practically negligible.

By reason of the statedcharacteristicsof cooling media, vpursuant to the invention, the usual is made for maintaining substantially uniform pressure effective upon the cooling medium throughout therange of operation of the-engine. Such provision of uniform pressure is 1 preferably in the form ofsuitable =va1ve meansautomatically --operative-irom stage .tovstage of variation of the temiteratureof .the cooling medium incident to variation of the rate 'ofoperation of the engine, .;as Well as during 'the stage of starting from fcold and during the stage between shutting 'ofi of the engine and consequent loweringof the temperature of the engineblocl: and of the-cooling medium from operating temperature to that of thesurrounding atmosphere.

.As appears fromtheabove, and referred to more specifically hereinafter, pursuant @to ,the .-inven 1 Claim. (01. 12341.1)

-perature expo-sure. commonly employed, pursuant to :present prac- .tion, all-danger of solidification of the cooling medium due to .treezing .or still lower outer atmospheric temperature, is'obviated, and hence no anti-freeze material is required underlow tem- Also, inhibiting r-materials tice, are :not needed.

An outstanding advantageof the invention is that incrustation-or =other deposit of impurities commonly experienced in theause of water as the cooling medium, is wholly eliminated. This advantage is-of particular value in the-cooling of Diesel engines, the range of operation temperatures frequently exceeding 1000 F.

:Anotheroutstanding advantage, pursuant to the inventiom is that the engine, particularly of the automotive :type, -ma-y :be operated over a higher range of temperature, :attended by an increase in .eiiiciencyiand consequent-reduced consumptionnf vfuel and lower range of :reduction :of temperatureof the cooling medium in the course of its circulation, thus reducing the requiredheat exchange suriacerof themadiator or other supplemental =cooling device. Such reduced heat exchange surface of the -.radiator and consequent reduced. size and weight enables the radiator to be directly supported upon -orintegral:withtheen- :xgineblock in the'instanceof-the. automotive types of engines, and markedly-lowered-cost of cooling in the instance ofDiesel types of engines.

:Among .nther substances of general character f tetracresylsilicate asacoolingmedium, pursuantto the invention, is tricresyl-phosphate, the propertiesof whichinclude maintenanceof. liquid statusfrom -.65 at which itis viscous, to 750 F., non-tom'ty, .non-corrosiVe-ness .to iron, steel, brass, cop-per andrubber, -a specific gravity of 1.12, a specific heatof .45 and boiling-,point'of 817 .at atmosphericpressure,

Ingeneral,cooling mediaapplicable to the invention possess thecattributes .of having. a solidiiyin temperature :below the minimum temperature of the outer -=atmosphere at the location of use vof the improved internal combustion engine, a boiling ,pcintexceeding 300 within which temperaturemange of such solidifyin point and toiling-point the vaporization of the cooling me- --.dium issubstantially negligible, also non corrosire with respect 'to :steel, iron, copper, brass, bronze and the like, and t rubber and other materials employed-lathe structure of the cooling channel circuit, also non-explosive and non-toxic, and desirably also non-poisonous, and further having such coeflicient of expansion that when raised, to the maximum range of tem at the stage of operation of the combustion engine, the expanded volume of the cooling medium 'is less than the capacity of the cooling channel circuit, assuming that the volume of such cooling medium charged into the cooling channel circuit at atmospheric temperature is suflicient to form therein a substantially continuous body of the cooling medium to afford circulation of the cooling medium in the cooling channel circuit.

In addition the cooling medium po sesses the characteristic of being immune to oxidization by air, with or without the presence of moisture or water, within the full range of temperature of the full gamut of o eration and non-operation of the combustion engine.

Further features and obiects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is aside elevation of an internal combustion engine, of the general type employed in automobiles, equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the radiator shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detailed central sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the valve component of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1. This view illustrates the positions of the parts of the valve means at the stage of non-operation of the engine and also at the stage of normal operation of the engine.

Fig. 4 is a central sectional elevation similar to that of Fig. 3, but showin the positions of the parts of the valve means at the stages of starting of the engine and during the period from starting toward the stage of normal operation.

Fig. 5 is a central sectional elevation similar to Figs. 3 and 4, but illustratin the positions of the parts of the valve means during the stage of shutting off of the engine and the cooling of the cooling medium to the outer atmospheric temperature.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional elevation of a Diesel type of engine equipped with my invention.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic elevation of an improved internal combustion engine, shown of the automotive type, equipped with a radiator of reduced heat exchange surfaces and supported unitarily with the engine block.

Referring to Figs. 1 through 5, ID designates generally a type of engine illustrated as an interj M to the upper compartment of the radiator II,

thence through the radiator, discharging through the outlet of the radiator, indicated at l5, shown connected by the hose It to the pipe ll, then through the pump l8, then to the inlet of and through the cooling channels of the engine block,

in return path to the radiator. As shown, and typical of many automobile ty es of motors, the pump is indicated as driven by a countershaft which concomitantly drives the fan (9, which cooperates With the radiator in the cooling of the cooling medium.

Fig. 1 illustrate also the typical individual supports of the engine I0 and the radiator H, the

radiator H being mounted stationarily relative to the chassis of the automobile and the engine l8 mounted on a cushion pad or equivalent, supported by the chassis, in which forms of individual mountings of the radiator and engine, the connections [3 and 16 are of flexible material, usually of rubber hose.

Pursuant to my invention, tetracresylsilicate is employed as the cooling medium, which is suitably supplied to the engine-radiator assembly, illustrated as utilizing the usual filling opening Ha, see Figs. 3, 4 and 5, advantageously located at or adjacent the top of the radiator I I.

The volume of tetracresylsilicate charged into the cooling channel circuit of the engine-radiator assembly, namely at outer atmospheric temperature, is less than the over-all volume of the interior of the cooling channel circuit, but sufficient to form a continuous mass of the cooling medium to afiord circulation of the cooling medium by the pump, air filling any remainder of the cooling channel circuit, which may include the upper compartment of the radiator ll.

At such opening Ha, or equivalent opening leading to the upper portion of the cooling channel circuit, pursuant to the invention, there is provided valve means V serving to release the air internally of the cooling channel circuit, while excluding entry of the outer atmospheric air, during the stage of starting the engine, at which stage the engine parts are heated'and therewith the cooling medium, serving also to restrict entry of the outer atmospheric air during the stage of normal operation of the engine, and also to afford entry of the outer atmosphere inwardly of the cooling channel circuit during the stage of stopping the engine and subsequent stage of the cooling of the cooling medium and of the air internally of the cooling channel circuit.

The valve means serves throughout the stages of starting and of normal operation and also of stopping and consequent cooling of the engine and appurtenant parts to maintain substantially uniform pressure within the cooling circuit substantially equal to that of the outer atmosphere.

By such construction and operation of my valve means, the rate of circulation of the cooling medium, effected by the indicated pump 48, or equivalent, is maintained in correspondence to the rate of drive of the automobile or other vehicle powered by the engine, and the pressure of the air inwardly of the cooling channel circuit is maintained substantially uniform, notwithstanding that the temperature of the cooling medium ranges from that of the outer atmosphere, namely, at the stage of starting of the engine, to an over-all operating temperature depending upon the rate of drive of the engine.

Also, by virtue of the valve means access of moisture, rain or the like Within the cooling channel circuit is substantially precluded. It will he observed that in the circumstance that when any outer atmospheric air enters through the valve means, as when the engine has been stopped, the high temperature of the cooling medium evaporates any moisture or rain entrained with such entered air through the valve means, thus" discharging all moisture from the cooling channel circuit and preserving the integrity ofithe cooling medium.

A preferred form of my valve means is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Such preferred enrbodiment of my valve means comp-rises a cap 28, shown detachably mounted on the tube 2!, the

seat 128, shown screw-threacledly is'eate'd aat'the 1 upper terminus of the circular wall Iri'f theiisubhousingiz'i; the yalveseat has awalve ripening-129, with whichrooperat'e's "the im'ovaole valve zmemher 30, normal-ly biased by the expansile spring 31 to clo'se the "valve opening 229. V

libout the circular wall pf the sub-housing 'and the circular wall o'f the upperportion ofithe housing "2-2 is thus formed an rannular chamher '32 which i is provided With one or more openings 33, le'aiiing to the outer-atmosphere. "The upper end of the h'ousin'g '22 of the *va'lve means is sealed by the cap 35 shownattache'cl to*the' upper portion of the housing by'ma'ting screw thr'eariin'g. Conveniently the expansile spring is "housed in the annular chamber it is iiesirabletoprovide a sieve-or like element as is inclieated-at 13 in Fig."3,-'to exclude dust-or other fore'ignmatter.

Fig. 3- illustrates *the'positicns of'the component par-ts or the valve means at the stage of 'non operation-of *the-enginepat which stag ers cool ing medium is at the temperature of the outer atmosphere. Uniier such condition, anil assuming that the proper-amountofccoling metiium has been charged into the cooling channlm'eans, upon starting the-eng'in'a-thetemperature offthe cooling medium'isgradually raisedfincludingthat of the air within the cooling 1 channel circuit, and accordingly upon the heating of such "inwardly 'containe'ii'air, its pressure is in'creasedfthus caus- .L 3

ing the rise'of thevalvemen'iber '28- above its valve seat 23, affording flow of the heated "air aloout 'the'valv'emember 2'2, throughthe annular chamber 32 and escape throughthe'openings33'into theouteratm'ospheregas indicated bythe arrows 35, "as indicated 'in'Fig. '4.

"The positions "of the component parts of "the valve-means during the stage of starting of the engine to the stage of normal operation are indicated in Fig; 4.

Upon attaining normal operation of the engine,

the component parts of my valve 'means are in their respective positions as shownin "Fig. 3 in which status *under the 'condition 'of'increase in temperature of the cooling medium, incident to operating the engine at higher speed, escape of air throughmy valve means ensues similarly as during'the stage of starting from cold to the stageof normal operation, as in'dicatediin Fig. 4 and as above described.

During the stage of operation pf the engine, theLh'eat transmitted'through the 'enginellhlocklto the lcoo'ling medium in the coolingichannell circuit is reduceu during its transit through the radiator, the reduction'being brought about-by thermal ex change with the outer contacting the heat exchange surfaces of-the radiator, as in-the -instance of an automobile or like vehicle in transit, enhanced by the circulation of the fan.

. At the stage of stopping of the engine and convarrows 41, iafiorded by fdisplacernen't of the movable valve member 11311 againstits expansile spring :31 ,Tthenoe about the amovable'wa'lve member 9, 'Lthen through the-fopening :25 of the val-"ve plate 2'4, :andffinally into" the -upper' r'egion of the cooling channel circuit, such flow of the inward air being continued until the status of equali-za- 7 tion of pressure and:eventualcooling-oi cooling liquid to the temperature of the puter air have taken place.

Desira'bly, thecap' -20 is secured imposition on the "head of the-tube Q'Fby bayonet joint assembl-y agasket flbeing interposed.

-Figjl illustraies at t the employment of an expansion tank, 'the use or which is -'optional, as proven =-"by actual "tests'in the-Qperation of an automotive type of engineuniiercommerciarcon- 'ditions, since the *d-im-ens'ion-s of the uppercompartment of a-conventional radiator aiiords sxiificientexpansion of tetracresyl-silicate employed as -the"cooling'medium. In all "events, sufiioient capacity 'for expansion of 'tetracresylsilica'te or other cooling'media o'fllke characteristics is afforded by providing siifiicient capacity in the upper compartment 'th'era'diator.

In the employment Ora radiator of' lesserfheat exchange surfaces and "consequent "lessenweight.

such radiator 'may 'be mounted upon the "same nec-ted by the pipe'fil with the Tecouplin jlone end-- of which connects w'iththe pipe 353 leading its the coil 5 i, shown'honsed .Wii'hinthe casing .55 to")? the cooler, the interior :of :the casing Ibeing supplied ivith cooling liquid, usuallyvcool or chilled watensupplid, say, throughwtheinletpipe Bland discharging-through the outletipipefil The-re maining end of the T-coupling l 52 leads through the-pipeligito.theiexpansion tank 59 whichismroviclecl at its upper opening 0 with the-valvemeans V constructed .in respect to its i-cornponent parts andloperatingcorrespondinglyzasthe valveimeans =V' hereinabove described and illustrated in apreferred embodiment in-Eigs. .3, I4 :andfi. vThelower endofthecoilifiliis connect-ecl-totheinlet of the pump 49,; as indicated in Fig 5.

In the practice .of the .-invention, vthe=coo1ing medium, in the operation of an automobile equipped vwith a conventional spark-ignited internal combustion engine, having its engine block of cast iron, and co-ordinated with a conventional radiator and conventionally geared fan and pump, ranges in temperature from approximately 214 F. to approximately 230 F. in its course of circulation. In the practice of the invention in the operation of a Diesel type of internal combustion engine, the temperature of the cooling medium ranges from approximately 100F. to approximately 300 F. By virtue of the valve means communicating with the upper compartment of the radiator, in the instance of the stated type of automotive engine, and with an upper portion of' the cooling circuit, in the instance of the Diesel type of combustion engine, the pressure of the air in the cooling circuit is maintained substantially uniform at approximately the pressure of the outer atmospheric air whereby the cooling medium pursuant to the invention is circulated without entrapment of air and consequently affordin free circulation of the COOllllg medium.

In the instance of the operation of a Diesel engine, pursuant to the invention, upon circulation of the cooling medium the air within thecooling circuit is maintained above the level of the cooling medium in the expansion tank and at a pressure substantially that of the outer atmosphere, notwithstanding variation of temperature of the cooling medium due to variation of rate of operation of the Diesel engine.

Predicated upon the results of tests in the operation of an automobile equipped with the invention, a gain of over 50 per cent in mileage per gallon of gasoline was attained over a total run of over 3,000 miles of operation of the automobile at a speed not exceeding 40 miles per hour. These tests proved also the immunit of tetracresylsilicate to cast iron, steel, brass, rubber and other materials conventionally used in the cooling channel circuit, also the absence of depletion of the tetracresylsilicate, attainment of uniform pressure of the air within the upper compartment of the radiator, higher rate of transfer of heat from the engine cylinders to the cooling medium, lower power loss in cooling of the coolin medium, substantiating the practical use of a radiator of materially less surface area of radiation and consequent lesser weight of radiator, as well as total absence of solidification of the cooling medium at low atmospheric temperature and absence of boiling of the cooling medium, and the maintenance of integrity of the cooling medium throughout the total run.

The invention is of outstanding advantage in the cooling of Diesel engines, by virtue of the maintenance of integrity of the cooling medium at the high range of temperature to which the cooling medium is subjected in the combustion of the fuel-air mixtures pursuant to the. Diesel principle, and without giving rise to any incrustation or other deposit within the cooling circuit, absence of corrosion of metal and other material of the component parts of the cooling circuit, absence of evaporation of the cooling medium and. consequent avoidance of replenishment of the cooling medium, and increased conversion of heat energy into power output of the engine.

From the above, it is apparent thatthe invention provides for an improved internal combustion engine employing a cooling medium of the stated character and providing eilective cooling of the concerned engine parts to afford substantially complete combustion of the fuel, either 'by spark ignition or by pressure explosion, and adequate lubrication by the lubricating oil em ployed, whereby an increase in percentage of the energy generated by the combustion is converted into delivered power of the engine.

The invention resides also in the improved assembly of an engine block, illustrated in Fig. 7 as of the automotive type, indicated generally 10, and a radiator 65 of reduced heat exchange surfaces supported unitarily with the engine block as by support of the radiator by the inflow tube 66 and outflow tube 61 forming part of the cooling circuit, the engine block being per se supported upon a resilient pad or' equivalent, the upper compartment of the'radiator 65 being provided with the above set forth valve means V, having the construction and operating as hereinabove described and as illustrated on enlarged scale in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. In such construction, to insure suflicient capacity for the expansion of p the cooling medium, it is preferable to provide an expansion chamber 59 co-ordinated with the valve means V, similarly as is illustrated in Fig. 6. Such improved radiator is suitably located with respect to a fan 19, in the assembly of internal combustion engines of the automotive type.

The engine is equipped otherwise with conventional appurtenant parts such as the pump (not shown) for circulating the coolin medium, and other appurtenant parts.

The invention is also applicable for internal combustion engines employed on airplanes, the engines or motors of many types of which are not provided with fans, the extent of heat exchange surfaces of the radiator being selected'to effect adequate cooling of the cooling medium to provide efiicient operation of the engine or motor,'in which construction the employment of tetracresylsilicate or equivalent cooling medium by virtue of the reduced range of cooling of such cooling medium aflords the omission of a fan as a supplemental cooling instrumentality.

I claim:

In a closed cooling system for an internal combustion engine'using an organic silicate as the liquid heat transfer medium and including an internal combustion engine having passages for the heat transfer medium,- a radiator for cooling the heat transfer medium, and upper and lower connections between the radiator and the passages of the internal combustion engine, an expansion tank connected in said upper connection, a normally closed pressure and vacuum relief valve connected in the radiator and means for circulating the organic silicate through the closed system.

ORION O. OAKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,116,169 Tower Nov. 3, 1914 1,311,528 Muir July 29, 1919 1,456,072 Moss Ma 22, 1923 1,985,198 Williams Dec. 18, 1934 2,070,588 Geisse Feb. 16, 1937 2,244,641 Fedders June 3, 1941 2,335,012 .Johnston Nov. 23, 1943 2,353,966 Newcombe July 18, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 497,056 Great Britain 1938