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EP-4311922-B1 - ENGINE ASSEMBLY, PARTICULARLY FOR OPERATING MACHINES

EP4311922B1EP 4311922 B1EP4311922 B1EP 4311922B1EP-4311922-B1

Inventors

  • ZANINI, STEFANO

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230720

Claims (8)

  1. An engine assembly, particularly for operating machines, comprising an internal combustion engine (2) having a cooling system comprising a first heat exchanger (3) that is fluidically connected to a cooling circuit formed in said engine (2), and ventilation means (4) adapted to generate an air flow through said first heat exchanger (3); said assembly further comprising a supercharger system (11) that comprises a turbine (12) mounted along an exhaust duct (9), a compressor (13) mounted along a suction duct (6) and a second heat exchanger (14) mounted along said suction duct (6), downstream of said compressor (13); said engine assembly further comprising fluid conveying means adapted to pass a flow of cooling air through said second heat exchanger (14), said flow being generated by said ventilation means (4); said fluid conveying means comprising a hollow element (20), open at both its ends, forming an inner cavity (21) through which said cooling air can pass; a first end portion (22) of said hollow element (20) forming an output opening (23) for the flow of cooling air, said output opening (23) being arranged, during use, proximate to said ventilation means (4); a second end portion (25) of said hollow element (20) defining an input opening (26) for the flow of cooling air, said input opening (26) being associated with said second heat exchanger (14); said engine assembly being characterized in that said hollow element (20) comprises first fastening means (24) configured to maintain, during use, said output opening (23) at a distance comprised between approx. 5 mm and approx. 15 mm, from a fan (5) of said ventilation means (4), creating a vacuum in said fluid conveying means.
  2. The engine assembly, according to claim 1, characterized in that said first end portion (22) of said hollow element (20) has a substantially rectangular cross-section.
  3. The engine assembly, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first end portion (22) of said hollow element (20) comprises a bottom wall (22a) and a top wall (22b) that are substantially parallel to each other; during use, said bottom wall (22a) and said top wall (22b) being inclined with respect to a rotation axis (50) of said fan (5).
  4. The engine assembly, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second end portion (25) of said hollow element (20) has a perimeter edge (27) at said input opening (26); said perimeter edge (27) having a shape matching the profile of said second heat exchanger (14).
  5. The engine assembly, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said perimeter edge (27) is configured to maintain said second heat exchanger (14) inclined with respect to said rotation axis (50) of said fan (5), during use.
  6. The engine assembly, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises thermal insulation means associated at least with the side of said hollow element (20) that faces said engine (2).
  7. The engine assembly, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hollow element (20) comprises at least one recess (28) that is adapted to accommodate a portion of said cooling system.
  8. The engine assembly, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hollow element (20) is made of a heat-resistant and substantially rigid material.

Description

The present invention relates to an engine assembly, adapted in particular to be installed on operating machines. It is known that many self-propelled operating machines that are used in agriculture, industry, and construction are equipped with internal combustion engines. Each engine is generally provided with various systems necessary for its operation, including a combustion air intake system. This intake system usually comprises a suction duct adapted to connect an air intake with an engine intake manifold, which conveys combustion air into the cylinders. An air cleaner assembly is also usually installed along the suction duct, which usually comprises at least one septum of porous material adapted to trap dust particles and/or other impurities which may be present in the air flowing from the air intake to the engine. Then, in many cases, the engines are also equipped with a supercharging system, typically a turbocharger, which substantially has the function of increasing the air pressure entering the engine, improving cylinder filling. However, the air exiting the turbocharger must be cooled before entering the engine, in order to increase the density of said air and thus the amount of combustion [air] contained in the cylinder at the end of the intake, thus improving the exploitation of the displacement and avoiding pre-combustion phenomena caused by an excessive temperature. The combustion air cooling function is generally carried out by a device known as an intercooler; substantially, it is a heat exchanger of the air-to-air or air-to-water type, which cools the air leaving the turbocharger before it enters the engine. In particular, air-to-air intercoolers are heat exchangers which substantially appear as a normal radiator, in which outside air is used to cool the air "heated" by the compressor before being fed into the combustion chamber of the engine. The configuration of this type of exchanger is generally very simple but their proper positioning is critical for good efficiency. Indeed, the exchanger of an air-to-air intercooler must be mounted in a position in which it can be struck with an adequate air flow; in cases in which this is not possible, it is of use to resort to various technical stratagems. One of the solutions that are commonly adopted to promote heat transfer in air-to-air type heat exchangers is to provide additional ventilation means installed at the exchanger. However, these systems used to increase cooling are relatively expensive and involve complications, which are not exactly negligible from both a construction and engine management point of view, so they lose at least some of the advantages associated with the simplicity which should characterize air-to-air coolers. US2010/089088A1 discloses a cooler arrangement in a vehicle powered by a combustion engine. The cooler arrangement comprises a first cooling element for cooling a first medium in the form of a circulating coolant, and a radiator fan adapted to generating an air flow through the first cooling element for cooling the coolant when it circulates through the first cooling element. The cooler arrangement comprises also a tubular casing adapted to serving as a flow passage for the air which passes through the first cooling element and at least one further cooling element for cooling a second medium, which further cooling element is arranged in the flow passage at a position downstream of the first cooling element with respect to the intended direction of flow of the cooling air through the flow passage. ITTO990342A1 discloses a supercharged internal-combustion engine comprising a turbocharger, a supercharging duct connecting an outlet of the turbocharger to an intake manifold of the engine, an intercooler in series with the supercharging duct for cooling the supercharging air of the engine, and a forced-ventilation device for cooling the supercharging duct; the device comprises ducting having an inlet aperture facing a fan and an outlet aperture facing a portion of the supercharging duct. WO2016/146592A2 discloses a cooling package for an agricultural tractor, having a charge air cooler assembly. The cooling package and charge air cooler assembly are configured such that airflow is routed through a charge air cooler multiple times in order to cool a compressed charge of air. As the temperature rise experienced by the cooling airflow is relatively minor compared to the initial temperature of the compressed charge of air the airflow is initially routed through an outlet-side portion of the charge air cooler to cool the compressed charge of air towards the outlet side of the charge air cooler, the airflow subsequently routed through an inlet-side portion of the charge air cooler to cool the compressed charge of air towards the inlet side of the charge air cooler. US2003/121638A1 discloses a motor vehicle comprising a passenger compartment, a front compartment, which is arranged in the front of the passenger compartment,