Coolant level sensor arrangement for internal combustion engine

Patent · Tue May 27 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5576231

Hirano, Y

A cooling system is described for a device having a structure object to heating a coolant jacket formed about the heated structure into which coolant is introduced in liquid form and discharged in gaseous form; a radiator in which gaseous coolant is condensed to its liquid form; vapor transfer means for conveying gaseous coolant from the coolant jacket to the radiator; a liquid coolant return conduit leasing from the radiator to the coolant jacket, the coolant jacket, the radiator, the vapor transfer means and the liquid coolant return conduit defining a coolant circuit; a reservoir containing liquid coolant, the reservoir being discrete from the cooling circuit; valve and conduit means for selectively placing the cooling circuit in a hermetically sealed closed circuit condition and for controlling communication between the radiator and the cooling circuit in a manner which permits coolant to be inducted into the cooling circuit from the reservoir when the engine is stopped; a level sensor disposed within the coolant jacket in close proximity of the heated structure for sensing the level of liquid coolant at a first predetermined level which is higher than the heated structure; an arrangement which becalms the environment immediately surrounding the level sensor and which attenuates movement of the liquid coolant which would otherwise tend to induce erroneous level indications by the level sensor; and a pump responsive to the level sensor for pumping liquid coolant into the coolant jacket in a manner to maintain the level of liquid coolant at the first predetermined one.

• Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Yokohama
• Patent Number(s): US 4590893
• OSTI ID: 5576231
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330100* -- Internal Combustion Engines
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
COOLANTS
COOLING SYSTEMS
DESIGN
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
FLOWMETERS
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
GAS FLOW
GASES
HEAT ENGINES
HEAT EXCHANGERS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
JACKETS
LIQUID FLOW
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METERS
PUMPS
RADIATORS
VALVES
VAPORS