Cooling system for an engine and method of providing a cooling system for an engine

摘要

A cooling system for an engine includes a coolant tank, a heat exchanger, and a drain valve. The coolant tank holds a fluid coolant and is coupled with a tank conduit through which the coolant flows from or to the coolant tank. The heat exchanger is fluidly coupled with a supply conduit. The drain valve is fluidly coupled with the coolant tank by the tank conduit and with the supply conduit. The drain valve is fluidly coupled with a drain conduit that directs the coolant out of the cooling system and alternates between a closed position and an open position. The drain valve prevents the coolant from flowing out of the cooling system through the drain conduit when in the closed position and permits the coolant to flow from the heat exchanger and out of the cooling system through the drain conduit when in the open position.

主权项

1. A cooling system for an engine, the cooling system comprising:
a coolant tank configured to hold a fluid coolant and coupled with a tank conduit through which the coolant flows into the coolant tank; a heat exchanger fluidly coupled with a supply conduit through which the coolant flows at least one of into or out of the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger also fluidly coupled with a radiator conduit through which the coolant flows out of the heat exchanger to the coolant tank, the heat exchanger disposed above the coolant tank in a rail vehicle that includes the engine, along a top side of the rail vehicle, and between opposite lateral exterior walls of the rail vehicle, the heat exchanger exposed to ambient air along the top side of the rail vehicle; and a drain valve fluidly coupled with the coolant tank by the tank conduit and with the heat exchanger by the supply conduit, the drain valve disposed above the coolant tank and beneath the heat exchanger in the rail vehicle, the drain valve accessible through a window in at least one of the lateral exterior walls of the rail vehicle and above a walkway extending outside of and along the at least one of the lateral exterior walls so that a human operator can access the drain valve through the window in the at least one of the lateral exterior walls while the human operator stands on the walkway, the drain valve fluidly coupled with a drain conduit that directs the coolant out of the cooling system, the drain valve configured to alternate between a closed position and an open position, wherein the fluid flows from the heat exchanger to the coolant tank through the radiator conduit and from the heat exchanger to the coolant tank via the supply conduit, the drain valve, and the tank conduit when the drain valve is in the closed position, and wherein the fluid flows from the heat exchanger and out of the cooling system through the supply conduit, the drain valve, and the drain conduit when the drain valve is in the open position, further wherein the drain valve prevents the fluid from flowing from the heat exchanger to the coolant tank via the supply conduit, the drain valve, and the tank conduit when the drain valve is in the open position.