Intercooler arrangement for a supercharged internal combustion engine

This patent describes a cooling system for a supercharged internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber, a compressor, and an induction circuit leading from the compressor to the combustion chamber and through which supercharging air passes. The cooling system described has a number of interacting components. The first component described is a first coolant jacket formed around that structure of the engine subject to high heat flux. Closely associated with the coolant jacket is a radiator within which coolant vapor is condensed to its liquid form, as well as a first vapor transfer conduit leading from the first coolant jacket to the radiator. A modality is described for returning liquid coolant from the radiator to the first coolant jacket in a manner designed to maintain the engine structure subject to high heat flux immersed in liquid coolant and also to define a vapor collection space within the first coolant jacket. In addition, a description of a second coolant jacket associated with the induction conduit for cooling the air which passes through the conduit, as well as a second vapor transfer conduit leading from the second coolant jacket to the radiator, is provided. The final member described is a first pumpmore » which pumps liquid coolant from the radiator to the second coolant jacket in response to a sensor which senses a parameter which varies with the supercharging of the engine.« less