On the design of an air-cooling system of an IC engine block made from sheet metal

Abstract

Abstract The cast and machined automotive cylinder block and the cylinder head serve to locate and hold the combustion cylinders in place, provide for cooling channels for the combustion cylinders and damp out vibrations, besides housing allied components needed for combustion. In the present work, the authors attempt to redesign the cooling system of the engine block for manufacture from sheet metal, and reduce its weight. It is proposed to have an air-cooling system around each of the combustion cylinders using a finned cooling cylinder rotating concentric with respect to the combustion cylinder with a coolant occupying the annular gap between the combustion cylinder and the cooling cylinder. The peculiar design enables hotter air to enter the combustion cylinder thereby increasing the expected thermal efficiency and power output, besides enhancing the quality of air-fuel mixing. Manufacture of the engine block from sheet metal involves embossing flow channels into thin sheets for the coolant, or machining such channels in thick sheets, folding them over, brazing the flat surfaces between channels and brazing the fin to the periphery of the cooling cylinder.