Coolant delivery matrix

Abstract

An internal combustion engine includes a cooling system having a coolant delivery matrix, such as for providing a two phase (vapour) cooling system for the engine. The coolant delivery matrix is configured for location in a cylinder block of an engine housing of the internal combustion engine. The coolant delivery matrix includes a manifold and a plurality of pipes extending from the manifold. The coolant delivery matrix is further configured to locate around at least one cylinder in the cylinder block, and each of the plurality of pipes has at least one aperture being directed to spray liquid coolant at a wall of the at least one cylinder.

1 . A cooling system for an internal combustion engine, the cooling system having a coolant delivery matrix configured for location in a cylinder block of the engine, said matrix comprising:
 a manifold; and   a plurality of pipes extending from said manifold,
 wherein said matrix is configured to locate around at least one cylinder in the cylinder block, and each of the plurality of pipes has at least one aperture being directed to spray liquid coolant at a wall of the at least one cylinder. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further including:
 a supply pump fluidly connected to supply liquid coolant under pressure to the coolant delivery matrix;   an extraction pump adapted to extract vaporised coolant from an the engine housing of the engine; and   a condenser fluidly connected upstream to the extraction pump and downstream to the supply pump.   
     
     
         3 . The cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the at least one cylinder in the cylinder block includes a cylinder head attached to the cylinder block; and   the at least one aperture is directed to spray the liquid coolant at one or more of the cylinder block and cylinder head.   
     
     
         4 . The cooling system of  claim 3 , wherein the manifold includes at least one manifold aperture being directed to spray the liquid coolant at the wall of the at least one cylinder. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling system of  claim 3 , wherein the cylinder head includes a fire deck in which a plurality of openings are provided, the plurality of openings cooperating with one or more open ends of the pipes to provide a passageway for the liquid coolant to be sprayed into the cylinder head. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of openings of the fire deck are directed at one or more of a mid deck of the cylinder block and an exhaust conduit extending from the cylinder head. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling system of  claim 6 , wherein the engine includes a plurality of fuel injectors arranged to inject fuel into the at least one cylinder, and each of said fuel injectors extends through an aperture in the mid deck with a gap between the fuel injector and the mid deck providing a passageway for vaporised coolant to pass into an upper section of the cylinder head. 
     
     
         8 . A method of cooling an internal combustion engine, comprising:
 providing liquid coolant to a coolant delivery matrix under pressure wherein the matrix includes a manifold and a plurality of pipes extending from the manifold, and the matrix is configured to locate around at least one cylinder in a cylinder block of the engine;   spraying a plurality of jets of the liquid coolant onto one or more selected parts of the engine;   extracting vaporised coolant from the engine block;   condensing the vaporised coolant into liquid coolant; and   recirculating the condensed liquid coolant to the coolant delivery matrix.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the internal combustion engine includes a cylinder head attached to the cylinder block, and spraying the plurality of jets includes directing at least a portion of the liquid coolant to at least one of the cylinder block and the cylinder head. 
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing an internal combustion engine having a cooling delivery matrix, comprising:
 manufacturing the coolant delivery matrix, the matrix including a manifold and a plurality of pipes extending from the manifold, wherein each of the plurality of pipes has at least one aperture;   manufacturing a cylinder block having at least one cylinder;   positioning the coolant delivery matrix within the cylinder block so that the at least one aperture is directed to spray liquid coolant at one or more of the cylinder block and a cylinder head attachable to the cylinder block; and   attaching the cylinder head to the cylinder block.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein spraying the plurality of jets of the liquid coolant includes spraying, by at least one aperture of each of the plurality of pipes, the plurality of jets of the liquid coolant. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein spraying the plurality of jets of the liquid coolant includes spraying, by at least one manifold aperture of the manifold, the plurality of jets of the liquid coolant. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein spraying the plurality of jets of the liquid coolant includes directing a portion of the liquid coolant onto a wall of the at least one cylinder. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the cylinder head includes a fire deck in which are provided a plurality of openings, and spraying the plurality of jets of the liquid coolant further includes spraying the plurality of jets of the liquid coolant through a passageway provided by the plurality of openings. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein spraying the plurality of jets of the liquid coolant through the passageway includes directing the liquid coolant into the cylinder head. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein spraying the plurality of jets of the liquid coolant through the passageway includes directing the liquid coolant at one or more of a mid deck of the cylinder block and an exhaust conduit extending from the cylinder head. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 manufacturing the coolant delivery matrix further includes manufacturing the manifold to include at least one manifold aperture; and   positioning the coolant delivery matrix further includes positioning the coolant delivery matrix within the cylinder block so that the at least one manifold aperture is directed to spray liquid coolant at one or more of the cylinder block and the cylinder head.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the cylinder head includes a fire deck in which are provided a plurality of openings, and attaching the cylinder head includes attaching the cylinder head to the cylinder block such that the plurality of openings provide a passageway for the liquid coolant to be sprayed into the cylinder head. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein attaching the cylinder head further includes attaching the cylinder head to the cylinder block such that the plurality of openings of the fire deck are directed at one or more of a mid deck of the cylinder block and an exhaust conduit extending from the cylinder head. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 manufacturing a plurality of fuel injectors; and   arranging the plurality of fuel injectors to inject fuel into the at least one cylinder.