Cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels

Abstract

This invention discloses a cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels, including a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole. The first mounting hole is located on the cylinder head and penetrates both the upper and lower surfaces of the cylinder head. The second mounting hole is also located on the cylinder head and penetrates both the upper and lower surfaces of the cylinder head. The first mounting hole can be used to mount a micro-injector, and the second mounting hole can be used to mount a main injector. The micro-injector and the main injector inject different fuels. Through a special valve arrangement and structural design, the cylinder head integrates the main injector mounting hole, the micro-injector mounting hole, and the air start valve mounting hole. The air start valve mounting hole can also be changed to an injector mounting hole, thereby enabling switching between multiple fuel modes and making it suitable for modular and serialized development of engines on the same platform. The bottom of the cylinder head features a fully enclosed annular water jacket design, solving the problems of thermal fatigue and poor reliability inherent in traditional cylinder heads.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of engine design and manufacturing, and in particular to a cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels. Background Technology

[0002] In order to curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the maritime industry, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) developed an initial greenhouse gas emission reduction strategy in 2018, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2050.

[0003] Driven by environmental, economic, resource, and safety considerations, the trend towards diversified energy and power systems is evident. In addition to traditional diesel and natural gas, low-carbon fuels such as LNG and methanol are already widely used, and zero-carbon fuels like ammonia, hydrogen, and biofuels will gradually be promoted in the future. Facing different application scenarios, internal combustion engines are no longer limited to a single fuel mode but are developing towards dual-fuel or even multi-fuel options.

[0004] As one of the core components of an engine, the cylinder head has the most complex structure, integrating intake and exhaust ports, valve mechanisms, and fuel injection units. Therefore, its development is the most difficult, time-consuming, and costly. Traditional cylinder head structures generally only support one type of fuel system. If engines using different fuels need to be developed, the entire cylinder head assembly needs to be redesigned, which no longer meets the current demand for diversified fuel options.

[0005] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the overall background of the invention and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a cylinder head that is compatible with multiple fuels, enabling switching between multiple fuel modes, and is suitable for modular and serial development of engines on the same platform.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels, including a first mounting hole and a second mounting hole; the first mounting hole is disposed on the cover body and penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the cover body; the second mounting hole is disposed on the cover body and penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the cover body; wherein the first mounting hole can be used to install a micro injector, the second mounting hole can be used to install a main injector, and the fuels injected by the micro injector and the main injector are different.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels further includes a fourth mounting hole provided on the cover body, and the fourth mounting hole penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the cover body.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the fourth mounting hole can be used to install an air start valve, which can inject compressed air into the cylinder to drive the piston.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the fourth mounting hole can be used to mount a fuel injector, and the fuel injected by the fuel injector is different from the fuel injected by the micro injector and the main injector.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the axial cross-section of the cover is circular, the second mounting hole is located at the center of the circular structure, the first mounting hole and the fourth mounting hole are both located on the center line passing through the center of the first mounting hole, and the first mounting hole and the fourth mounting hole are respectively located on both sides of the second mounting hole.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels further includes an injector sleeve disposed in the lower middle part of the second mounting hole. The injector sleeve is located between the outer wall of the main injector and the inner wall of the second mounting hole, and the lower part of the injector sleeve seals the combustion chamber gas through a sleeve sealing gasket.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels further includes a cylinder head water jacket disposed inside the cylinder head body. The cylinder head water jacket includes an annular water jacket, cross-shaped water channels, branched water channels, circular water channels, and multiple water jacket inlets. The annular water jacket is disposed near the lower surface of the cylinder head body and surrounds the outer circumference of the circular structure. The cross-shaped water channels are disposed at the two intersecting perpendicular center lines of the circular structure, and the outer ends of the cross-shaped water channels are connected to the annular water jacket. The branched water channels extend to both sides from the middle part between the cross-shaped water channel and the connection point between the cross-shaped water channel and the annular water jacket, respectively, and are connected to the annular water channels. The circular water channels are formed at the bottom positions between the first mounting hole and the micro-injector, the second mounting hole and the main injector, and the fourth mounting hole and the air start valve. The multiple water jacket inlets are evenly distributed on the annular water jacket.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the annular waterway is connected to the cross-shaped waterway.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder head water jacket also includes a large water jacket surrounding the first mounting hole, the second mounting hole, and the fourth mounting hole. After the engine coolant enters the cylinder head, it first enters the annular water jacket on the outer circle of the cylinder head through multiple circumferentially distributed inlets, and then flows towards the center of the circular structure through cross-shaped water channels and branched water channels, and finally flows out into the large water jacket inside the cylinder head.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels further includes a third mounting hole and a fifth mounting hole located near the edge of the circular structure. The third mounting hole and the fifth mounting hole are located on both sides of a center line of the circular structure, and the third mounting hole and the fifth mounting hole can be used to install a burst pressure sensor and a cylinder temperature sensor, respectively.

[0017] Compared with existing technologies, the multi-fuel compatible cylinder head of the present invention has the following advantages: Through a special valve arrangement and structural design, the cylinder head integrates the main injector mounting hole, the micro-injector mounting hole, and the air start valve mounting hole simultaneously. The air start valve mounting hole can also be changed to an injector mounting hole, thereby enabling switching between multiple fuel modes and making it suitable for modular and serialized development of engines on the same platform. Simultaneously, the bottom of the cylinder head features a fully enclosed annular water jacket design, maximizing the cooling performance of the high-temperature areas of the cylinder head and solving the problems of thermal fatigue and poor reliability inherent in traditional cylinder heads. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the front cross-sectional structure of a cylinder head according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the axial cross-section of a cylinder head according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the axial cross-section of a cylinder head water jacket according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Explanation of key figure labels:

[0022] 1-Cylinder cover, 2-Micro-injector, 3-Main injector, 4-Air start valve, 5-Cylinder head water jacket, 11-Intake valve, 12-Exhaust valve, 13-First mounting hole, 14-Second mounting hole, 15-Third mounting hole, 16-Fourth mounting hole, 17-Fifth mounting hole, 21-First oil inlet, 22-First oil return port, 23-Sealing ring groove, 24-Bottom sealing gasket, 31-Second oil inlet, 32-Second oil return port, 33-Injector sleeve, 34-Sleeve sealing gasket, 42-Pneumatic valve sealing groove, 43-Pneumatic valve sealing gasket, 51-Annular water jacket, 52-Cross-shaped water channel, 53-Bifurded water channel, 54-Circular water channel, 55-Water jacket inlet, 56-Large water jacket. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it should be understood that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments.

[0024] Unless otherwise expressly stated, throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprising" or its variations such as "including" or "comprises" shall be understood to include the stated elements or components without excluding other elements or other components.

[0025] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, a cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a first mounting hole 13 and a second mounting hole 14; the first mounting hole 13 is disposed on the cover body 1 and penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the cover body 1; the second mounting hole 14 is disposed on the cover body 1 and penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the cover body 1; wherein the first mounting hole 13 can be used to install a micro-injector 1, and the second mounting hole 14 can be used to install a main injector 3, and the fuels injected by the micro-injector 1 and the main injector 3 are different.

[0026] In some embodiments, the cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels also includes a fourth mounting hole 16 provided on the cover body 1, and the fourth mounting hole 16 penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the cover body 1. The fourth mounting hole 16 can be used to install an air start valve 4, which is generally mainly used in large-bore marine diesel engines because the air start valve 4 can inject compressed air into the cylinder to drive the piston and thus start the engine.

[0027] In some embodiments, the fourth mounting hole 16 can also be used to mount a fuel injector, and the fuel injected by the fuel injector is different from the fuel injected by the micro injector 1 and the main injector 3.

[0028] In some embodiments, the first mounting hole 13, the second mounting hole 14, and the fourth mounting hole 16 of this embodiment are mainly used to install the micro-injector 1, the main injector 3, and the air start valve 4. For traditional single-fuel engines, only the main injector 3 is needed, and the first mounting hole 13 can be left unprocessed or blocked with relevant parts, allowing for cylinder head compatibility. For dual-fuel engines, such as diesel / natural gas dual-fuel engines, the main injector 3 can be configured as a natural gas nozzle, and the micro-injector 1 can be configured as a diesel nozzle. The diesel micro-injection ignites the natural gas, thereby achieving diffusion combustion of the two fuels. This mode is applicable to different dual-fuel engines, such as those using traditional petroleum fuels and clean energy fuels, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, and liquid ammonia. For engines already equipped with an electric starter motor or a pneumatic starter motor, the air start valve 4 can be omitted, and the fourth mounting hole 16 can be used to install another fuel injector, theoretically achieving compatibility with three fuels. Alternatively, for engines requiring lean or ultra-lean combustion technology, the current mainstream approach is a pre-combustion chamber spark plug structure, and the aforementioned additional fourth mounting hole 16 can be used to install the pre-combustion chamber. In summary, the cylinder head structure of this embodiment, by integrating three injector mounting holes, can accommodate different fuels and different combustion modes.

[0029] Please see Figure 2 In some embodiments, the axial cross-section of the cover 1 is circular, with the second mounting hole 14 located at the center of the circular structure. The first mounting hole 13 and the fourth mounting hole 16 are both located on the center line passing through the center of the first mounting hole 13, and the first mounting hole 13 and the fourth mounting hole 16 are located on both sides of the second mounting hole 14. The intake valve and the exhaust valve are respectively arranged on both sides of this center line, forming a symmetrical arrangement. Moreover, the intake valve and the exhaust valve are also symmetrically arranged with respect to another center line perpendicular to this center line. The purpose of this structure is to maximize the space on the cylinder center line, thereby enabling the simultaneous placement of components such as the micro-injector 1, the main injector 3, and the air start valve 4 even in space-constrained conditions.

[0030] Please see Figure 2 In some embodiments, the diameters of the first mounting hole 13, the second mounting hole 14, and the fourth mounting hole 16 in this embodiment are, in descending order, the second mounting hole 14, the fourth mounting hole 16, and the first mounting hole 13, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0031] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels also includes an injector sleeve 33 disposed in the lower middle part of the second mounting hole 14. The injector sleeve 33 is located between the outer wall of the main injector 3 and the inner wall of the second mounting hole 14. The lower part of the injector sleeve 33 seals the combustion chamber gas through a sleeve sealing gasket 34.

[0032] In some embodiments, in addition, sealing rings are designed between the main injector 3 and the injector sleeve 33, and between the injector sleeve 33 and the fourth mounting hole 16 of the cylinder head. A bottom sealing gasket 24 is provided at the bottom of the micro-injector 1 to seal the combustion gas inside the combustion chamber, and a sealing ring groove 23 is provided at the top of the micro-injector 1 to seal the cylinder liner water. A pneumatic valve sealing gasket 43 is provided at the bottom of the air start valve 4 to seal the combustion gas inside the combustion chamber, and a pneumatic valve sealing groove 42 is provided at the top of the air start valve 4 to seal compressed air.

[0033] Please see Figure 3 In some embodiments, the cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels also includes a cylinder head water jacket 5 disposed inside the cover body 1. The cylinder head water jacket 5 includes an annular water jacket 51, cross-shaped water channels 52, branched water channels 53, circular water channels 54, and multiple water jacket inlets 55. The annular water jacket 51 is disposed near the lower surface of the cover body 1 and is arranged around the outer circumference of the circular structure. The cross-shaped water channels 52 are disposed at two intersecting perpendicular center lines of the circular structure, and the outer ends of the cross-shaped water channels 52 are all... The annular water jacket 51 is connected to the branch water channel 53; the branch water channel 53 extends from the intersection point of each cross-shaped water channel 52 to the middle part between the cross-shaped water channel 52 and the annular water jacket 51, respectively, and connects to the annular water channel; the circular water channel 54 is formed at the bottom position between the first mounting hole 13 and the micro-injector 1, the second mounting hole 14 and the main injector 3, and the fourth mounting hole 16 and the air start valve 4; multiple water jacket inlets 55 are evenly distributed on the annular water jacket 51. The circular water channel 54 is connected to the cross-shaped water channel 52.

[0034] In some embodiments, the annular water jacket 51, the cross-shaped water channel 52, the branched water channel 53, and the multiple water jacket inlets 55 of this embodiment are symmetrically arranged with respect to the center of the circular structure of the cover body 1, and the included angle between the branched water channel 53 and the cross-shaped water channel 52 is between 30° and 45°.

[0035] In some embodiments, the cylinder head water jacket 5 also includes a large water jacket 56 surrounding the first mounting hole 13, the second mounting hole 14 and the fourth mounting hole 16. After the engine coolant enters the cylinder head, it first enters the annular water jacket 51 on the outer circle of the cylinder head through multiple circumferentially distributed water inlets, and then flows to the center of the circular structure through the cross-shaped water channel 52 and the branched water channel 53, and finally flows out into the large water jacket 56 inside the cylinder head.

[0036] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 3In some embodiments, the cross-shaped water channel 52 of this embodiment forms three annular water channels 54 as it passes through the first mounting hole 13, the second mounting hole 14, and the fourth mounting hole 16. These channels are mainly used to forcibly cool the high-temperature areas at the bottom of the micro-injector 1, the main injector 3, and the air start valve 4, ensuring that the temperature is always kept within a controllable range. At the same time, due to the presence of the cross-shaped water channel 52 and the eight branched water channels 53, the intake and exhaust valve seats are surrounded by cooling water, forming a "fully enclosed" annular water jacket 51 design. This maximizes the cooling performance of the high-temperature areas of the cylinder head and solves the problems of thermal fatigue and poor reliability of traditional cylinder heads.

[0037] Please see Figure 2 In some embodiments, the cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels also includes a third mounting hole 15 and a fifth mounting hole 17 located near the edge of the circular structure. The third mounting hole 15 and the fifth mounting hole 17 are located on both sides of a center line of the circular structure, and can be used to mount a burst pressure sensor and a cylinder temperature sensor, respectively. The burst pressure sensor and the cylinder temperature sensor (required for gas engines) are respectively arranged above and below the horizontal center line of the circular structure of the cover 1, and are symmetrically arranged, thus maximizing space utilization.

[0038] Please see Figure 1 In some embodiments, the cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels also includes a first fuel inlet 21 and a first fuel return port 22 located at the first mounting hole 13 and the micro-injector 1, and a second fuel inlet 31 and a second fuel return port 32 located at the second mounting hole 14 and the main injector 3. Furthermore, the first fuel inlet 21 and the first fuel return port 22, as well as the second fuel inlet 31 and the second fuel return port 32, can be interchanged to accommodate various variations and modular designs. Additionally, similar intake / exhaust ports or fuel inlet / return ports are also provided at the fourth mounting hole 16 and the air start valve 4 or the fuel injector.

[0039] In summary, the multi-fuel compatible cylinder head of this invention has the following advantages: Through a special valve arrangement and structural design, the cylinder head integrates the main injector mounting hole, the micro-injector mounting hole, and the air start valve mounting hole simultaneously. The air start valve mounting hole can also be changed to an injector mounting hole, thereby enabling switching between multiple fuel modes and making it suitable for modular and serialized development of engines on the same platform. Furthermore, the cylinder head adopts a symmetrical valve arrangement, maximizing the space along the cylinder centerline to accommodate multiple injectors, pressure sensor holes, and cylinder temperature sensor holes simultaneously. At the same time, the cylinder head innovatively features a fully enclosed annular water jacket design at the bottom, mainly composed of a water inlet, an outer annular water jacket, cross-shaped water channels, branched water channels, and circular water channels. This fully enclosed annular water jacket design at the bottom of the cylinder head maximizes the cooling performance of the high-temperature areas, solving the problems of thermal fatigue and poor reliability inherent in traditional cylinder heads. Furthermore, the annular water jacket design also forms annular water channels in the high-temperature areas of the micro-injector, main injector, and air start valve, thereby providing forced cooling.

[0040] The foregoing description of specific exemplary embodiments of the invention is for illustrative and explanatory purposes. These descriptions are not intended to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and it will be apparent that many changes and variations can be made in accordance with the foregoing teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the specific principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to implement and utilize various different exemplary embodiments of the invention, as well as various different choices and variations. The scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels, characterized in that, include: A first mounting hole is provided on the cover, and the first mounting hole penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the cover; A second mounting hole is provided on the cover, and the second mounting hole penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the cover; The first mounting hole can be used to install a micro-injector, the second mounting hole can be used to install a main injector, and the micro-injector and the main injector inject different fuels; and A fourth mounting hole is provided on the cover, and the fourth mounting hole penetrates the upper and lower surfaces of the cover; The fourth mounting hole can be used to install an air start valve, which can inject compressed air into the cylinder to drive the piston, or the fourth mounting hole can be used to install a fuel injector, and the fuel injected by the fuel injector is different from the fuel injected by the micro injector and the main injector. The axial cross-section of the cover is circular, the second mounting hole is located at the center of the circular structure, the first mounting hole and the fourth mounting hole are both located on the center line passing through the center of the first mounting hole, and the first mounting hole and the fourth mounting hole are respectively located on both sides of the second mounting hole; The cylinder head also includes: A cylinder head water jacket, disposed inside the cylinder head body, the cylinder head water jacket comprising: An annular water jacket is disposed near the lower surface of the cover and is arranged around the outer circumference of the circular structure; A cross-shaped waterway is provided at the two intersecting perpendicular center lines of the circular structure, and the outer ends of the cross-shaped waterway are connected to the annular water jacket. The branching waterway extends to both sides from the middle section between the intersection point of each of the cross-shaped waterways and the connection point between the cross-shaped waterway and the annular water jacket, and connects with the annular water jacket. A circular water channel is formed at the bottom position between the first mounting hole and the micro-injector, the second mounting hole and the main injector, and the fourth mounting hole and the air start valve; Multiple water inlets are evenly distributed on the annular water jacket; and The large water jacket is arranged around the first mounting hole, the second mounting hole and the fourth mounting hole. After the engine coolant enters the cylinder head, it first enters the annular water jacket on the outer circle of the cylinder head from the multiple water inlets distributed circumferentially. Then it flows to the center of the circular structure through the cross-shaped water channel and the branched water channel, and finally flows out into the large water jacket inside the cylinder head.

2. The cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an injector sleeve, which is disposed in the lower middle part of the second mounting hole and located between the outer wall of the main injector and the inner wall of the second mounting hole. The lower part of the injector sleeve seals the combustion gas in the combustion chamber through a sleeve sealing gasket.

3. The cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The circular waterway is connected to the cross-shaped waterway.

4. The cylinder head compatible with multiple fuels as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a third mounting hole and a fifth mounting hole, which are located near the edge of the circular structure and on both sides of a center line of the circular structure. The third mounting hole and the fifth mounting hole can be used to install the burst pressure sensor and the cylinder temperature sensor, respectively.

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