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Auxiliary engine driven device and methods for use thereof

Auxiliary engine driven device and methods for use thereof description/claims

The present invention generally relates to an auxiliary engine driven device and method of use for same. More particularly, the present subject matter relates to an auxiliary device driven by an engine both of which are cooled by airflow generated by a tangential blower which pulls air through an enclosed compartment in which the auxiliary device and engine are housed.

Internal combustion engines have frequently used axial fans to generate airflow for proper cooling. In order for a cooling system to properly operate for an internal combustion engine, convective transfer of heat must be established to aid the cooling system in maintaining a proper operating temperature. Such an operating temperature allows the combustion chamber to completely vaporize the fuel while maintaining an optimal viscosity of the oil to lubricate and reduce friction within the engine and reduce metal wear within the engine. Many such combustion engines use a liquid cooling system which circulates fluid through pipes and passageways in the engine. As this liquid passes through the hot engine it absorbs heat, cooling the engine. After the fluid leaves the engine, it passes through a heat exchanger such as a radiator, which transfers the heat from the fluid to the air around the heat exchanger. Preferably, air is blown through the heat exchanger to create a convective heat exchange.

When there is a large space around the combustion engine or a movement of a large volume of airflow such as within a moving car, an axial fan effectively aids in cooling the engine. An axial fan pulls air through the heat exchanger and blows air across the engine linearly. Thus, axial fans only move air along its axis. When such an engine is used in a tight compartment, for example, in an engine-driven electric generator, an axial fan does not work as well in cooling the engine. In such a closed confined compartment in a generator, an artificial flow of air created by movement such as in a car is not provided to aid the axial fan in cooling the engine. Further, the air directed along the axis of the axial fan only has a confined space in which to travel and thus has no place to go since a wall is often in front of the axial fan preventing the air from escaping. Therefore, engines used in such confined compartments have a tendency to overheat when an axial fan is used to aid the cooling system in cooling the combustion engine.

Centrifugal blowers have been used with such engines to redirect the air and provide a better cooling system for combustion engines that are placed in tight confines such as electrical generator housings. However, due to the volume of air that must be generated to effectively aid in the cooling of the cooling system and the engine, the centrifugal blowers have to be quite large to accommodate such capacity. For example, the centrifugal blower used to effectively cool the cooling system and the engine can be almost half the size of the engine and will add considerable length and width to the engine package. When the size of an auxiliary engine driven device such as a mobile generator used on buses and RVs has limited space in which operated, such added size is unacceptable.

Further, neither the axial fan nor the centrifugal blower are very effective in aiding the cooling of the auxiliary device attached to the combustion engine due to size constraints. For example, an electric generator connected to the combustion engine in an engine-generator will normally have a fan attached thereto to cool the generator and its components. However, the fan is usually not large enough to effectively cool the generator for optimum performance. An axial fan when used in an engine-generator such as a mobile generator that has tight confines can actually hinder the cooling effect of the fan of the electric generator. The axial flow of air from the axial fan blows hot air from the engine toward the generator thereby further creating an opportunity for failure of the electric generator. Due to the size constraints of a centrifugal blower, it also does not create an effective airflow that aids in the cooling of the electric generator.

Therefore, in light of the above, a need exists for an auxiliary engine driven device that provides an air circulation within a confined compartment that adequately aids the cooling of the engine as well as the auxiliary device.

In accordance with the disclosure, auxiliary engine driven devices and methods for using the same are provided.

It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide an auxiliary engine driven device that has an engine and auxiliary device which are cooled by airflow created by a tangential blower placed in a position along the side of the engine to maximize the cooling effectiveness of the airflow and the use of space within a confined compartment in which the auxiliary driven device resides.

This and other objects as may become apparent from the present disclosure are achieved, at least in whole or in part, by the subject matter described herein.

A full and enabling disclosure of the present subject matter including the best mode thereof to one of ordinary skill in the art is set forth more particularly in the remainder of the specification, including reference to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of an auxiliary engine driven device according to the present subject matter showing an interior of the auxiliary engine driven device;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective bottom side view of the an auxiliary engine driven device according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional front view of the auxiliary engine driven device according to FIG. 1 showing an interior of the auxiliary engine driven device;

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an engine and auxiliary device of the auxiliary engine driven device according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a portion an embodiment of a tangential blower for use in an embodiment of an auxiliary engine driven device according to the present subject matter;

FIG. 6A illustrates a front plan view of the portion of the tangential blower of FIG. 5;

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