Tractor cooling system

Abstract

A cooling system for a work vehicle is disclosed that includes first and second heat exchangers disposed one above the other to create two discrete flow paths. The upper heat exchanger is an engine water cooler and the lower heat exchanger may be an intercooler, an oil cooler or a refrigerant condenser. The lower heat exchanger is disposed forward of the upper heat exchanger. Additional heat exchangers may be positioned in front of the first and second heat exchangers to provide additional cooling. The first and second heat exchanger may be cross-flow heat exchangers conducting the fluid to be cooled laterally through the core of the heat exchanger.

1 . A cooling system for an agricultural tractor comprises: 
 a front frame;    an intercooler mounted on the frame; and    an engine water cooler mounted above the intercooler in a parallel air flow path.    
   
   
       2 . The cooling system of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an inlet air conduit and an outlet air conduit coupled to the intercooler, wherein said conduits extend vertically on either side of and in front of the engine water cooler.    
   
   
       3 . The cooling system of  claim 2 , wherein the engine water cooler is disposed above and behind the intercooler, said water cooler having a lower surface adjacent to and sealing against a top surface of the intercooler.  
   
   
       4 . The cooling system of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a fan shroud having a first end and a second end, wherein the intercooler and the engine water cooler are disposed adjacent to one another to fill a first end of the fan shroud, and further wherein the fan fills a second end of the fan shroud.    
   
   
       5 . The cooling system of  claim 4 , wherein the engine water cooler is a cross flow heat exchanger.  
   
   
       6 . The cooling system of  claim 5 , wherein the intercooler is a cross-flow heat exchanger.  
   
   
       7 . The cooling system of  claim 6 , wherein the engine water cooler extends substantially the entire width of an under-hood space.  
   
   
       8 . A cooling system for an agricultural tractor comprises: 
 a first heat exchanger disposed in a first position adjacent to a frame of the tractor, forward of a tractor engine, and behind a cooling air inlet, said first heat exchanger defining a first cooling air path; and    a second heat exchanger located behind and above the first heat exchanger and defining a cooling air path distinct from the first cooling air path.    
   
   
       9 . The cooling system of  claim 8 , wherein the first heat exchanger is a cross-flow heat exchanger.  
   
   
       10 . The cooling system of  claim 9 , wherein the second heat exchanger is a cross-flow heat exchanger.  
   
   
       11 . The cooling system of  claim 10 , wherein cores of the first and second heat exchangers are disposed both parallel to each other and adjacent to each other.  
   
   
       12 . The cooling system of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second heat exchangers substantially fill the inlet of a fan shroud.  
   
   
       13 . The cooling system of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second heat exchangers extend substantially the entire width of an under-hood space.  
   
   
       14 . A cooling system for a work vehicle having an elongated narrow hood disposed immediately in front of an operator's compartment, the hood having a front grille with cooling air vents, a left sidewall and a right sidewall, the system comprising: 
 an engine water cooler disposed under the hood and extending from the first sidewall to the second sidewall; and    a first heat exchanger disposed beneath and generally parallel to the engine water cooler.    
   
   
       15 . The cooling system of  claim 14 , further comprising a second heat exchanger disposed in front of the engine water cooler and the first heat exchanger to heat air entering both the engine water cooler and the first heat exchanger.  
   
   
       16 . The cooling system of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second heat exchangers are selected from the set consisting of an oil cooler, a refrigerant condenser, a fuel cooler, and an intercooler.  
   
   
       17 . The cooling system of  claim 16 , wherein the engine water cooler and the first heat exchanger do not overlap.  
   
   
       18 . The cooling system of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the engine water cooler and the first heat exchanger is arranged for cross-flow cooling.  
   
   
       19 . The cooling system of  claim 18 , wherein the first heat exchanger is selected from the group consisting of an oil cooler and an intercooler.  
   
   
       20 . The cooling system of  claim 19 , wherein the first heat exchanger is a cross-flow intercooler and the engine water cooler is cross-flow.