FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; rule 13)
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
A device to improve cold startability of vehicles


APPLICANTS
TATA MOTORS LIMITED, an Indian company
having its registered office at Bombay House,
24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk,
Mumbai 400 001 Maharashtra, India
INVENTORS
Mr. R. M. Umale, Mr. D. S. Kulkarni and Mr. C. A. Kardile
all Indian nationals of TATA MOTORS LIMITED,
an Indian company having its registered office
at Bombay House, 24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk,
Mumbai 400 001 Maharashtra, India

PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed


FIELD OF INVENTION:
The present invention deals with a device that improves the cold starting of the vehicles. More particularly deals with heating of engine intake air to improve the cold starting of the engine.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION:
Automobile vehicles are required to operate satisfactorily in different environmental conditions. Operating in cold condition is one of the requirements. Starting an engine in cold weather or environment is one of the severest conditions to operate. Vehicle manufactures specify the procedures, specification and requirements for satisfactory cold start of the engine. Primarily, the cold start performance of the engine depends upon following parameters-
a) Engine friction
b) Battery state of charge
c) Temperature
d) Engine technology and hardware
Keeping all other parameters same if the air temperature entering the engine is increased the cold starting performance of the engine is improved. Thus under given experimental conditions and vehicle parameters if the engine is supplied with warm air during cranking and for some time after start the engine staring is improved. The present invention aims at providing an apparatus that supplies warm air to the engine during starting.
PRIOR ART:
US patent no 4552102 teaches a system-for improve the starting of indirect and direct injection diesel engines in cold weather, including glow plugs powered by a source of electrical potential for heating the diesel fuel and circuitry for controlling the operation of the glow plugs.
Us patent no 6715472B2 teaches about a method for cold starting of a diesel engine which includes an electrical heating device mounted either in the intake air channel or within the air filter casing
2
3 1 MAR 2009

US patent no 6047676 teaches about a device and method for assisting cold start of automobiles with internal combustion engines which include a cooling circuit and an exhaust line with a catalyst. The method includes use of at least one burner and a means for recovering the calories produced by the burner, where the calories recovered are restored to at least one of the following elements: the intake air, the wall of the engine itself, the internal cooling circuit of the engine. A burner is used directly to heat a gas- liquid exchanger built into cooling circuit of engine, as well as engine exhaust gases. The intake air and passenger compartment thus benefit from the improve heating of cooling circuit.
US patent 6247460 Bl teaches a method of connecting the vortex tube to a turbocharger or supercharger or to the inlet manifold of an engine. A vortex tube includes an entry port, a cold exit port and a hot exit port. By providing different structural interconnections of the vortex tube with turbocharger or supercharger, compressed air is cooled prior to entering the engine's intake manifold. The same effect is achieved when the vortex tube is affixed directly to the engine intake manifold. Additionally, the fuel supply may be heated or cooled depending upon the specific fuel type used.
The first two patents talk about heating of inlet air by using electrical heater. The third patent talks about a fuel fired burner for heating the coolant and the engine walls. It is clear that the electrical heater takes some time for its warm up and subsequently the air is heated convectively with further delay. This also put additional load on battery which is already in critical condition. Third patent talks about arrangement to heat engine coolant by a fuel fired burner directly and indirectly heating engine inlet air. Air heating is slow since it is indirect heating. All the above mentioned patents talk about supplying hot inlet air to the engine. The fourth patent aims at providing cooled air at the inlet manifold. This is to achieve the improved engine performance by supplying cooled inlet air. It is also proposed to use the hot stream of air for fuel heating alternately, the fuel can also be cooled depending upon the requirement. In the present case vortex tube is connected in series and the air supply to the engine passes through the vortex tube on a continuous basis. Since vortex divides the supply air stream into hot and cold air
3
3 1 MAR 2009

stream and only the cold air stream supplied to engine inlet, the total supply of air to the vortex tube needs to be augmented accordingly. Considering the efficiency of vortex tube this will result in considerable amount of loss of energy and also will have considerable implications from energy input and engine efficiency point of view.
Thus any attempt to supply hot inlet air efficiently and with consuming any engine power at least during cold start will improve engine cold startability considerably. The present patent aims at supplying hot inlet air at a constant temperature around lOOdegC.
FACTS OF ENGINE CONDITION AT COLD START:
A more common problem for vehicle operators or owner is cold startability of IC engine, particularly diesel engine. The vehicles are running on national highway, rural road; therefore enclosed or warm storage of the vehicle is not possible or impractical. The vehicle will be exposed to cold weather during parking or prolonged non operative periods. Temperature of coolant, oil and vehicle parts will come to equilibrium position, oil viscosity will increase, battery output will get reduced and the vaporization of fuel will be much more difficult. During starting of engine cold air enters inside the engine, temperature of air after compression is not sufficient to burn the fuel efficiently. The friction power of engine increases as oil viscosity increases. These effects combine to make cold startability of diesel engines a prolonged and difficult task.
Therefore any attempt to increase the temperature of air after compression during cold starting improves the cold startability of engine. Conventionally electrical grid heater, flame glow plug are being used for cold startability.
OBJECTS OF INVENTION:
Main objective of the present invention is to provide a device that improves the cold starting of the vehicle by supplying hot air at the inlet to the engine during starting period.
4


Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a device that starts its action before cranking of the engine.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device that does not affect the engine calibration and other peripherals.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device that starts its action independent of the engine operation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device that does not draw power from the engine during starting.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION:
The present invention aims at providing a device that supplies hot air at the engine inlet during cold cranking of engine. The hot air is obtained by passing compressed air through a vortex tube. The vortex tube operation starts before cranking of the engine. The hot air is supplied to the engine intake manifold. Once the engine starts the supply of hot air is reduced gradually and finally stopped. The vortex tube operation and hot air flow management is controlled through an electronic controller.
STATEMENT OF INVENTION:
This invention relates to a system for improving the starting of a vehicle in cold conditions comprises a vortex tube adapted to receive compressed air from a compressed air storage tank and to supply hot air to an engine of said vehicle; a regulator to regulate the supply of compressed air to said vortex tube; and an electronic control unit for controlling the operation of said regulator and said vortex tube.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFFERED EMBODIMENTS:
Fig 1 shows the conventional arrangement of engine at vehicle level.
Fig 2 shows the arrangement of components for improved cold starting in
accordance with present invention.
5
3 1 MAR 2009

Fig 3 shows the schematic details of the electronic controller for improved cold starting of the engine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
As shown in fig. 1 the conventional arrangement of components for an automotive engine comprises of an engine (1) having an intake manifold (2) and an exhaust manifold (3). The intake hose (4) connects the inlet manifold to air filter (5) The exhaust manifold connects the engine to exhaust system.
As shown in fig 2 the arrangement of components for an improved cold starting is similar to the system as explained in fig.l and in addition, it comprises of an supplementary intake hose (6) which supplies hot air to the engine (1). The supplementary intake hose (6) receives hot air from vortex tube (7). The vortex tube receives compressed air from compressed air storage tank (8). An electrically operated solenoid valve (9) regulates the supply of compressed air to the vortex tube. An electronic controller (10) controls the operation at the solenoid and vortex tube. The compressor (11) fills the storage tank during normal running of the engine. In addition, the compressed air storage tank (8) has an external filling provision (12).
Fig 3 shows the schematic diagram of the electronic controller which controls the equipments that improve the cold starting of the vehicle. The electronic controller (10) is a microprocessor based unit capable of being programmed with multiple variables (11) and capable of receiving multiple inputs. Following are the programmable parameters -
i) Threshold ambient temperature
ii) Engine thermal model
The controller receives following input signals (12). i) Ambient temperature ii) Coolant temperature
6
3 1 MAR 2009

iii) Time since engine stop
iv) Engine speed signal
v) Compressed air pressure
vi) Manual over ride inputs When the ignition is put on, and the ambient temperature is lower than the set threshold, and engine has reached cold stage, the controller (10) operates the electrical solenoid (9) supplying compressed air supply to the vortex tube (7). The hot air stream supply from the vortex tube, after the engine is started, is reduced based on engine coolant temperature. The controller is also provided with manual over ride switch which is provided on the dashboard and can be operated by the driver. The outputs (13) controlled by the controller are
a) Time for which the solenoid to remain on.
Advantages
A device and an arrangement to improve the cold starting of the vehicle according to this invention comprises a vortex tube and an electronic controller to control the operation of the vortex tube based on various inputs.
The device and an arrangement to improve the cold starting of the vehicle according to this invention comprises of devices that do not load the engine during cranking and initial period.
A device and an arrangement to improve the cold starting of the vehicle according to this invention does not interfere with the calibration and normal operation of the engine.
A device and an arrangement to improve the cold starting of the vehicle according to this invention starts its operation instantaneously on demand and before cranking of the engine.
3 1 MAR 2009

A device and an arrangement to improve the cold starting of the vehicle according to this invention is suitable to be retrofitted on vehicle and does not need major modification in the vehicle.
A device and an arrangement to improve the cold starting of the vehicle according to this invention is simple and cost effective.
The foregoing description is a specific embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that this embodiment is described for purpose of illustration only, and that numerous alterations and modifications may be practiced by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all such modifications and alterations be included insofar as they come within the scope of the invention as claimed or the equivalents thereof.
8
3 1 MAR 2009

WE CLAIM
1. A system for improving the starting of a vehicle in cold conditions
comprises:
a vortex tube adapted to receive compressed air from a compressed air
storage tank and to supply hot air to an engine of said vehicle;
a regulator to regulate the supply of compressed air to said vortex tube; and an electronic control unit for controlling the operation of said regulator and
said vortex tube.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein hot air is supplied to said engine by means of a supplementary inlet hose.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said regulator is an electrically operated solenoid valve.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to operate said regulator to supply compressed air to the vortex tube which in turn supplies hot air to said engine when the ambient temperature of the inlet air is lesser than the preset threshold ambient temperature.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to gradually reduce the supply of hot air from the vortex tube based on engine coolant temperature.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compressed air storage tank is capable of being filled by a compressor during normal running of the engine or through an external filling provision.
7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vortex tube operation is provided to start before cranking of the engine.
9
3 1 MAR 2009

8. A system for improving the starting of a vehicle in cold conditions as hereinabove described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 31st day of March 2009
TATA MOTORS LIMITED
By their Agent & Attorney

Karuna Goleria of DePENNING & DePENNING
10
3 1 MAR 2009