Cooling Strategies for an Air-Cooled Engine in a Watertight Environment
Location
CSU 201
Start Date
12-4-2022 1:30 PM
End Date
12-4-2022 2:30 PM
Student's Major
Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Student's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Mentor's Name
Bruce Jones
Mentor's Department
Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Mentor's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Description
Our project entailed installing a diesel-powered generator into a floating chassis of an electric Argo J8 robot. However, since the vehicle needs to float, it needs to be watertight on the bottom and sides of the chassis. Providing proper intake air flow and waste heat venting to an engine in this environment is crucial. To meet the cooling and intake needs of this engine, we designed and installed a “Hot-Cold Plate” which separate the chassis into two parts: hot side and cold side. The hot side houses the engine and exhaust, and the cool side houses the original electric portion of the vehicle. A hole was cut in the plate to allow the engine to pull fresh air from the cool side, preventing it from pulling hot air from the hot side, and prevent the air from both sides mixing. This cold air acts as intake for combustion and cooling. To supply the cold side with fresh air, a front access door was replaced with a vented door, allowing the cold side to have a continuous supply of fresh air for combustion and cooling. Lastly, when the engine is running it increases the temperature of the hot side of the vehicle drastically. Vents were cut in the top deck of the vehicle to allow this hot air to leave the chassis, while maintaining the watertight aspect of the lower chassis. Cooling tests will be ran to determine any required changes to the system, as well as to determine if any changes need to be made to the sizes of the vents on the hot side of the chassis.
Cooling Strategies for an Air-Cooled Engine in a Watertight Environment
CSU 201
Our project entailed installing a diesel-powered generator into a floating chassis of an electric Argo J8 robot. However, since the vehicle needs to float, it needs to be watertight on the bottom and sides of the chassis. Providing proper intake air flow and waste heat venting to an engine in this environment is crucial. To meet the cooling and intake needs of this engine, we designed and installed a “Hot-Cold Plate” which separate the chassis into two parts: hot side and cold side. The hot side houses the engine and exhaust, and the cool side houses the original electric portion of the vehicle. A hole was cut in the plate to allow the engine to pull fresh air from the cool side, preventing it from pulling hot air from the hot side, and prevent the air from both sides mixing. This cold air acts as intake for combustion and cooling. To supply the cold side with fresh air, a front access door was replaced with a vented door, allowing the cold side to have a continuous supply of fresh air for combustion and cooling. Lastly, when the engine is running it increases the temperature of the hot side of the vehicle drastically. Vents were cut in the top deck of the vehicle to allow this hot air to leave the chassis, while maintaining the watertight aspect of the lower chassis. Cooling tests will be ran to determine any required changes to the system, as well as to determine if any changes need to be made to the sizes of the vents on the hot side of the chassis.
Recommended Citation
White, Riley and Tyler Blattner. "Cooling Strategies for an Air-Cooled Engine in a Watertight Environment." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 12, 2022.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2022/oral-session-03/2
