C7 On-highway Engine Caterpillar


Air Inlet and Exhaust System

Usage:

C7 C7S



Illustration 1g01614835

Air inlet and exhaust system

(1) Air cleaner

(2) Control group for the CGI system

(3) Variable nozzle turbocharger

(4) Air pressure control valve

(5) Head of the ARD

(6) ARD body

(7) Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)

(8) Purge line to the ARD

(9) Purge valve

(10) Intake manifold

(11) Cooler for the CGI system

(12) Air-to-air aftercooler

The engine has an electronic control system. The system controls the operation of the engine and of the Caterpillar Regeneration System (CRS). The CRS consists of an Aftertreatment Regeneration Device (ARD) and a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF).

The system consists of the following components:

  • Engine Control Module (ECM)

  • Wiring

  • Sensors

  • Actuators

Inlet air is pulled through the air cleaner (1) . The inlet air is then compressed and heated by the compressor wheel of turbocharger to about 150 °C (300 °F). The inlet air is then pushed through air-to-air aftercooler core and the inlet air is moved to the air inlet elbow. The temperature of the inlet air at air inlet elbow is about 43 °C (110 °F). Cooling of the inlet air increases the combustion efficiency. Increased combustion efficiency helps to lower fuel consumption. Also, increased combustion efficiency helps to increase horsepower output.

Aftercooler core is a separate cooler core. Aftercooler core is installed in front of the core of the engine radiator. Air that is ambient temperature is moved across the aftercooler core by the engine fan. This cools the turbocharged inlet air.

From aftercooler core , the air is forced into the cylinder head in order to fill the inlet ports. Air flow from the inlet port into the cylinder is controlled by the inlet valves.




Illustration 2g01615217

Air inlet and exhaust system

(13) Aftercooler core

(14) Exhaust outlet from turbocharger

(15) Turbine side of turbocharger

(16) Compressor side of turbocharger

(17) Clean gas induction cooler

(18) Exhaust manifold

(19) Exhaust valve

(20) Inlet valve

There are two inlet valves and one exhaust valve for each cylinder. Inlet valves open when the piston moves down on the inlet stroke. When the inlet valves open, cooled compressed air from the inlet port is pulled into the cylinder. The inlet valves close and the piston begins to move up on the compression stroke. The air in the cylinder is compressed. When the piston is near the top of the compression stroke, fuel is injected into the cylinder. The fuel mixes with the air and combustion starts. During the power stroke, the combustion force pushes the piston downward. After the power stroke is complete, the piston moves upward. This upward movement is the exhaust stroke. During the exhaust stroke, the exhaust valve opens, and the exhaust gases are pushed through the exhaust port into the exhaust manifold. After the piston completes the exhaust stroke, the exhaust valve closes and the cycle starts again. The complete cycle consists of four stages:

  • Inlet stroke

  • Compression stroke

  • Power stroke

  • Exhaust stroke

Exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold enter the turbine side of turbocharger in order to turn the turbine wheel. The turbine wheel is connected to a shaft which drives the compressor wheel. Exhaust gases from the turbocharger pass through the exhaust outlet pipe, the muffler and the exhaust stack.

The CGI system sends hot exhaust gas from the DPF to the CGI cooler. The hot exhaust gas is cooled in the CGI cooler. The now cooled exhaust gas passes through an electronic controlled flapper valve. The electronically controlled flapper valve is hydraulically actuated. The engine is using air from the truck's air filter system when the flapper valve is in the full OFF position. As the flapper valve starts to open the flow of cooled exhaust gas from the CGI cooler mixes with the air flow from the air filter. As the demand for more cooled exhaust gas increases the flapper valve opens wider. This increases the flow of cooled exhaust gas from the CGI cooler. As the demand for more cooled exhaust gas increases, the demand for air flow from the engine's air filter decreases.

Turbocharger




Illustration 3g01615256

Turbocharger

(21) Air inlet

(22) Compressor housing

(23) Compressor wheel

(24) Bearing

(25) Oil inlet port

(26) Bearing

(27) Turbine housing

(28) Turbine wheel

(29) Exhaust outlet

(30) Oil outlet port

(31) Exhaust inlet

The turbocharger is installed on the exhaust manifold. All the exhaust gases from the engine go through the turbocharger. The compressor side of the turbocharger is connected to the aftercooler by a pipe.

The exhaust gases go into turbine housing (27) through exhaust inlet (31) . The exhaust gases then push the blades of turbine wheel (28) . The turbine wheel is connected by a shaft to compressor wheel (23) .

Clean air from the air cleaners is pulled through compressor housing air inlet (21) by the rotation of compressor wheel (23) . The action of the compressor wheel blades causes a compression of the inlet air. This compression gives the engine more power by allowing the engine to burn more air and more fuel during combustion.

When the load on the engine increases, more fuel is injected into the cylinders. The combustion of this additional fuel produces more exhaust gases. The additional exhaust gases cause the turbine and the compressor wheels of the turbocharger to turn faster. As the compressor wheel turns faster, more air is forced into the cylinders. The increased flow of air gives the engine more power by allowing the engine to burn the additional fuel with greater efficiency.

Bearings (24) and (26) for the turbocharger use engine oil under pressure for lubrication. The oil comes in through oil inlet port (25) . The oil then goes through passages in the center section in order to lubricate the bearings. Oil from the turbocharger goes out through oil outlet port (30) in the bottom of the center section. The oil then goes back to the engine lubrication system.

Valve System Components




Illustration 4g01615293

Valve system components

(32) Rocker arms

(33) Bridge

(34) Spring

(35) Pushrods

(36) Exhaust valve

(37) Inlet valves

(38) Lifter

(39) Camshaft lobe

The valve system components control the flow of inlet air into the cylinders during engine operation. The valve system components also control the flow of exhaust gases out of the cylinders during engine operation.

The crankshaft gear drives the camshaft gear through an idler gear. The camshaft must be timed to the crankshaft in order to get the correct relation between the piston movement and the valve movement.

The camshaft has two camshaft lobes for each cylinder. The lobes operate the inlet and exhaust valves. As the camshaft turns, lobes on the camshaft cause lifters (38) to move pushrods (35) up and down. Upward movement of the pushrods against rocker arms (32) results in downward movement (opening) of valves (36) and (37) .

Each cylinder has two inlet valves and one exhaust valve. Valve springs (34) close the valves when the lifters move down.

Air Inlet Heater

The engines are equipped with an electric heater that is located behind the air inlet elbow. The electric heater has two functions:

  • Aid in starting

  • Aid in white smoke cleanup during start-up

Under the proper conditions, the ECM turns on the electric heater. The following conditions are evaluated prior to activating the electric heater:

  • Jacket water coolant temperature

  • Inlet manifold air temperature

  • Ignition switch position

  • Duration of time

If the air inlet heater malfunctions, the engine will still start and the engine will still run. There may be a concern regarding the amount of white smoke that is present. Also, there may be a concern regarding the need for an alternative starting aid.

System Components

The system of the air inlet heater consists of the following basic components:

  • Relay of the air inlet heater

  • Heater element

  • Coolant temperature sensor

  • Inlet air temperature sensor

  • ECM

  • Indicator lamp

The air inlet heater relay turns the heater ON and OFF in response to signals from the ECM.

The air inlet heater is a component of the air inlet cover. The heater element has a ground strap that must be connected to the engine.

There are three conditions that would cause the air inlet heater to be activated:

  • Powerup and Mode of Preheat

Regardless of temperature, the heater and the lamp of the heater should come on for two seconds when the ECM is first powered (lamp check). When the sum of the coolant temperature plus the inlet manifold air temperature is less than 25 °C (109 °F), the ECM will turn on the heater and the lamp for 30 seconds. This is a cycle of preheat.

The ECM will then turn off the heater and the lamp. When the operator attempts to start the engine prior to the completion of preheat, the ECM proceeds into the mode of cranking for heater control.

  • Mode of cranking

During engine cranking, when the sum of the coolant temperature plus the inlet manifold air temperature is less than 25 °C (109 °F), the ECM will turn on the heater. The heater will remain on during engine cranking. If the engine fails to start, the ECM reverts to preheat. Reverting to preheat will activate the heater for another 30 seconds.

  • Running of the engine

After the engine has started, the same combination of inlet manifold air temperature and coolant temperature will determine the state of the heater. The cycle has two strategies.

The two strategies are continuous and intermittent. During the continuous strategy, the heater will remain on for a maximum of 7 minutes after starting. If the same conditions exist, the ECM will activate the intermittent strategy. During the intermittent strategy, the heater is cycled for a maximum of 13 minutes. During this cycle, the heater is turned on for 10 seconds and the heater is turned off for 10 seconds. After the 13 minute time limit, the heater is shut off.

When one of the temperature sensors fails, the system will operate in the following manner:

  • Coolant temperature sensor

When the coolant temperature sensor has an open circuit or a short circuit, the coolant temperature sensor has failed. During this condition, the heater will be activated when the inlet manifold air temperature is less than 10 °C (50 °F).

  • Inlet air temperature sensor

When the inlet air temperature sensor has an open circuit or a short circuit, the inlet air temperature sensor has failed. During this condition, the heater will be activated when the coolant temperature is less than 40 °C (104 °F).

For additional information on the air inlet heater, refer to Troubleshooting, "Air Inlet Heater Circuit - Test".

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