A methanol fuel accumulator and marine engine system

Abstract

The present invention discloses a methanol fuel accumulator, which belongs to the field of engine technology and includes an accumulator body and a shell. The accumulator body has a pressure storage chamber, and the accumulator body is provided with an accumulator inlet and an accumulator outlet connected to the pressure storage chamber; the shell is sealed to the outside of the accumulator body, and the shell is provided with a shell inlet and a shell outlet corresponding to the accumulator inlet and the accumulator outlet, and an interlayer protection channel is formed between the shell and the accumulator body, and an overflow port connected to the interlayer protection channel is provided on the shell. Even if the accumulator body of the methanol fuel accumulator leaks, the leaked methanol fuel will enter the interlayer protection channel and can be discharged from the overflow port. Therefore, the risk of fire caused by methanol fuel leakage encountering a high-temperature surface is avoided, and the safety of the methanol fuel accumulator is improved. The present invention also discloses a marine engine system having the methanol fuel accumulator, which also has the above-mentioned technical effects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of engines, and more particularly to a methanol fuel accumulator and a marine engine system. Background Art

[0002] With the gradual depletion of fossil energy and the need to control carbon emissions, the use of diversified low-carbon clean fuels, represented by methanol, is an important path for the development of internal combustion engine technology. Among them, the methanol accumulator is a key component of the methanol fuel system.

[0003] Conventional methanol fuel accumulators form a pressure chamber within the shell to temporarily store methanol at a certain pressure. However, potential shell material and welding defects, as well as metal fatigue from long-term operation, pose a risk of leakage. Methanol vapor is toxic to humans. Furthermore, in a marine engine room, with its complex environment and numerous equipment, a methanol fuel accumulator leak poses a fire risk if exposed to high-temperature surfaces.

[0004] In summary, how to effectively solve the problem of low safety of methanol fuel accumulators is a problem that currently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, an object of the present invention is to provide a methanol fuel accumulator and a marine engine system, the structural design of which can effectively solve the problem of low safety of the methanol fuel accumulator.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] A methanol fuel accumulator comprises an accumulator body, wherein the accumulator body has a pressure storage chamber, and the accumulator body is provided with an accumulator inlet and an accumulator outlet communicating with the pressure storage chamber. The accumulator body also comprises a shell sealedly connected to the outside of the accumulator body, wherein an interlayer protection channel is formed between the shell and the accumulator body, an overflow port communicating with the interlayer protection channel is provided on the shell, and a shell inlet and a shell outlet are provided on the shell corresponding to the accumulator inlet and the accumulator outlet.

[0008] Optionally, in the above-mentioned methanol fuel accumulator, a purge inlet is provided at one end of the shell, and a purge outlet is provided at the other end, and the purge outlet is connected to an open environment.

[0009] Optionally, in the above-mentioned methanol fuel accumulator, the overflow port and the purge outlet share the same opening and are sealedly connected to a main pipe, and the main pipe is respectively connected to a purge outlet pipe and an overflow pipe.

[0010] Optionally, in the above-mentioned methanol fuel accumulator, the purge air outlet pipe extends upward from the main pipe to the open space above the deck, the top end of the purge air outlet pipe is open, and the overflow pipe extends downward from the main pipe, and the bottom end of the overflow pipe is open.

[0011] Optionally, in the above-mentioned methanol fuel accumulator, the overflow port is connected to a methanol leakage alarm.

[0012] Optionally, in the above-mentioned methanol fuel accumulator, a methanol overflow chamber is provided which is connected to the methanol leakage alarm.

[0013] Optionally, in the above-mentioned methanol fuel accumulator, an inlet connector is provided in a sealed connection with the accumulator inlet, a methanol channel is provided on the inlet connector, the methanol channel is connected to the accumulator inlet, a measuring hole is opened on the inlet connector and is connected to the methanol channel, and a pressure sensor is installed in the measuring hole.

[0014] Optionally, the above-mentioned methanol fuel accumulator further includes a transition pipe sealedly connected to the accumulator inlet and the shell inlet, the transition pipe is sealedly connected to the inlet connector, and one end of the transition pipe is connected to the methanol channel, and the other end is connected to the pressure accumulation chamber.

[0015] Optionally, the methanol fuel accumulator further comprises an outlet connecting pipe sealedly connected to the accumulator outlet and the shell outlet, one end of the outlet connecting pipe is connected to the pressure accumulator chamber, and the other end is used to connect to the alcohol injector.

[0016] The methanol fuel accumulator provided by the present invention comprises an accumulator body and a housing. The accumulator body comprises a pressure storage chamber, and the accumulator body is provided with an accumulator inlet and an accumulator outlet communicating with the pressure storage chamber. The housing is sealably connected to the accumulator body and is provided with a housing inlet and a housing outlet corresponding to the accumulator inlet and the accumulator outlet. An interlayer protective channel is formed between the housing and the accumulator body, and the housing is provided with an overflow port communicating with the interlayer protective channel.

[0017] In the methanol fuel accumulator provided by the present invention, methanol fuel enters the accumulator chamber through the housing inlet and the accumulator inlet, then exits through the accumulator outlet and the housing outlet, where it is injected into the engine intake duct via the alcohol injector. Because the housing is disposed outside the accumulator body, forming a protective interlayer channel between the housing and the accumulator body, even if the accumulator body leaks, the leaked methanol fuel enters the interlayer channel and can be discharged through the overflow port. This eliminates the risk of fire caused by methanol fuel leakage on hot surfaces, improving the safety of the methanol fuel accumulator.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the housing is provided with a purge inlet at one end and a purge outlet at the other end, both of which are connected to the outside environment. This allows for the regular purge of inert gas into the interlayer protection channel. The inert gas enters through the purge inlet, purges any methanol vapor that may remain in the interlayer protection channel to the purge outlet, where it is ultimately discharged to the outside environment, thereby avoiding the risk of methanol vapor accumulating in the engine compartment. The methanol vapor purged to the outside environment quickly degrades into carbon dioxide and water, making it far safer than existing fossil fuels.

[0019] To achieve the second objective, the present invention further provides a marine engine system comprising an engine, an alcohol injector, and any of the aforementioned methanol fuel accumulators. Since the aforementioned methanol fuel accumulators have the aforementioned technical effects, a marine engine system incorporating such a methanol fuel accumulator should also have corresponding technical effects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of a methanol fuel accumulator according to a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 for Figure 1 AA cross-sectional diagram of ;

[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 1 BB cross-section diagram.

[0024] The following are marked in the accompanying drawings:

[0025] Accumulator body 1, accumulator chamber 11, accumulator inlet 12, accumulator outlet 13, overflow port 14, purge inlet 15, purge outlet 16,

[0026] Shell 2, shell inlet 21, shell outlet 22,

[0027] Interlayer protection channel 3, main pipe 4, purge air outlet pipe 5, overflow pipe 6, inlet connector 7, methanol channel 71, measuring hole 72, transition pipe 8, outlet connecting pipe 9. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The embodiment of the present invention discloses a methanol fuel accumulator and a marine engine system to improve the safety of the methanol fuel accumulator.

[0029] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0030] See also Figure 1-Figure 3 , Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of a methanol fuel accumulator according to a specific embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 AA cross-sectional diagram of ; Figure 3 for Figure 1 BB cross-section diagram.

[0031] In a specific embodiment, the methanol fuel accumulator provided by the present invention includes an accumulator body 1 and a shell 2. The accumulator body 1 has a pressure storage chamber 11, and the accumulator body 1 is provided with an accumulator inlet 12 and an accumulator outlet 13 connected to the pressure storage chamber 11. The shape of the accumulator body 1 can be set as needed and is not specifically limited here. The wall surface of the accumulator body 1 surrounds the pressure storage chamber 11 to store methanol fuel. The accumulator inlet 12 and the accumulator outlet 13 are used for methanol fuel to enter and discharge the pressure storage chamber 11, and they can be respectively arranged at opposite ends of the accumulator body 1.

[0032] The housing 2 is sealed to the outside of the accumulator body 1 and is provided with a housing inlet 21 and a housing outlet 22, corresponding to the accumulator inlet 12 and the accumulator outlet 13. The housing inlet 21 and the housing outlet 22 correspond to each other, meaning that methanol fuel enters the accumulator chamber 11 through the housing inlet 21 and the accumulator inlet 12 and can be discharged through the accumulator outlet 13 and the housing outlet 22. An interlayer protection channel 3 is formed between the housing 2 and the accumulator body 1. The housing 2 is provided with an overflow port 14, which communicates with the interlayer protection channel 3.

[0033] Through the setting of the outer shell 2, the methanol fuel accumulator forms a double-wall sandwich structure. The inner wall, that is, the wall surface of the accumulator body 1, forms a pressure storage chamber 11 which is a methanol fuel cavity, and the outer wall, that is, the outer shell 2, forms a sandwich protection channel 3 with the accumulator body 1 which is a methanol leakage protection channel.

[0034] In the methanol fuel accumulator provided by the present invention, methanol fuel enters the accumulator chamber 11 through the housing inlet 21 and the accumulator inlet 12, then exits through the accumulator outlet 13 and the housing outlet 22, where it is injected into the engine intake duct via the alcohol injector. Because the housing 2 is disposed outside the accumulator body 1, forming a sandwich protective channel 3 between the housing 2 and the accumulator body 1, even if the accumulator body 1 leaks, the leaked methanol fuel will enter the sandwich protective channel 3 and be discharged through the overflow port 14. This eliminates the risk of fire caused by methanol fuel leakage on high-temperature surfaces, improving the safety of the methanol fuel accumulator.

[0035] In one embodiment, the housing 2 is provided with a purge inlet 15 at one end and a purge outlet 16 at the other end. The purge outlet 16 is connected to the open environment to prevent the accumulation of methanol vapor in enclosed spaces such as the engine room. It should be noted that the open environment here refers to an open space. For example, when the methanol fuel accumulator is used in a marine engine system, the external environment can be above the ship's deck. By providing the purge inlet 15 and the purge outlet 16, inert gas can be regularly blown into the interlayer protection channel 3. The inert gas enters through the purge inlet 15, purges any gas that may contain methanol vapor within the interlayer protection channel 3 to the purge outlet 16, and ultimately discharges to the external environment, thereby preventing the risk of methanol vapor accumulation in the engine room. The methanol vapor purged to the external environment degrades into carbon dioxide and water in a short period of time, making it much safer for the environment than existing fossil fuels. The purge inlet 15 and the purge outlet 16 are respectively provided at opposite ends of the housing 2, making it easier to purge the entire interlayer protection channel 3, achieving a more effective purge.

[0036] Furthermore, the overflow port 14 and the purge outlet 16 share the same opening and are sealed and connected to the main pipe 4, which is respectively connected to the purge air outlet pipe 5 and the overflow pipe 6. An opening is provided on the outer shell 2, and the opening is used as the overflow port 14 and the purge outlet 16. The purge inlet 15 and the purge outlet 16 are shared, which simplifies the structure and facilitates processing. The opening is sealed and connected to the main pipe 4, which is in turn respectively connected to the purge air outlet pipe 5 and the overflow pipe 6, so that the methanol fuel in the interlayer protection channel 3 is discharged into the main pipe 4 through the opening and discharged through the overflow pipe 6. The methanol vapor in the interlayer protection channel 3 is discharged into the main pipe 4 through the opening under the purge action of the inert gas and is discharged through the purge air outlet pipe 5. In other embodiments, the overflow port 14 and the purge outlet 16 can also be provided separately and independently.

[0037] To drain the methanol fuel within the interlayer protection channel 3 as quickly as possible, in one embodiment, an overflow port 14 is disposed at the bottom of the housing 2. In other embodiments, the overflow port 14 may be disposed in the middle of the housing sidewall. When the level of the methanol fuel within the interlayer protection channel 3 reaches the level of the overflow port 14, the fuel is discharged from the overflow port 14 under the action of its own gravity.

[0038] In one embodiment, the purge outlet pipe 5 extends upward from the main pipe 4 to the open space above the deck, the top of the purge outlet pipe 5 is open, and the overflow pipe 6 extends downward from the main pipe 4, and the bottom of the overflow pipe 6 is open. It should be noted that the upward extension here includes both vertically upward and obliquely upward extension, and the downward extension includes both vertically downward and obliquely downward extension. Then, the methanol fuel can be better discharged from the overflow pipe 6 under the action of gravity, and the methanol vapor is discharged through the purge outlet pipe 5 under the action of purge. Figure 1 As shown, the purge air outlet pipe 5 and the overflow pipe 6 can be connected and form a straight pipe, which has a simple overall structure and is easy to process. In other embodiments, the purge air outlet pipe 5 and the overflow pipe 6 can also form a certain angle.

[0039] In one embodiment, the overflow port 14 is connected to a methanol leakage alarm. For the specific structure and working principle of the methanol leakage alarm, please refer to the prior art and will not be repeated here. If the methanol accumulator fuel leaks, it will enter the interlayer protection channel 3, and the methanol will enter the methanol leakage alarm from the overflow port 14, thereby triggering the alarm of the engine safety protection system, reminding the engine operator to take measures, and the engine safety protection system can also cut off the supply of the methanol delivery system. In summary, through the setting of the methanol leakage alarm, methanol leakage can be discovered in time, so that it is convenient to remind relevant personnel to take corresponding operations, or to adopt relevant safety measures through the control system. The height of the specific methanol leakage alarm can be set to be lower than the height of the overflow port 14, so that methanol enters the methanol leakage alarm from the overflow port 14 due to the effect of gravity.

[0040] Furthermore, a methanol overflow chamber is provided in conjunction with the methanol leak alarm. Methanol entering the methanol leak alarm ultimately flows into the overflow chamber. By setting the overflow chamber's height lower than the height of the methanol leak alarm, methanol within the alarm can flow into the overflow chamber under its own gravity, thus preventing methanol accumulation in the engine compartment. It should be noted that by setting the heights of the various components to allow methanol to overflow under its own gravity, the structure is simplified. In other embodiments, a pump or other structure can also be provided to drive methanol overflow.

[0041] In one embodiment, an inlet connector 7 is provided in a sealed connection with the accumulator inlet 12. A methanol channel 71 is provided on the inlet connector 7, communicating with the accumulator inlet 12. A measuring hole 72 is provided on the inlet connector 7, communicating with the methanol channel 71. A pressure sensor is installed in the measuring hole 72. Methanol fuel enters the accumulator chamber 11 through the methanol channel 71 of the inlet connector 7 and the accumulator inlet 12. As the methanol fuel passes through the methanol channel 71, the pressure sensor detects the pressure of the methanol fuel, enabling more precise methanol pressure control. Specifically, the measuring hole 72 can be arranged perpendicular to the methanol channel 71.

[0042] In one embodiment, a transition pipe 8 is further included, hermetically connected to the accumulator inlet 12 and the housing inlet 21. The transition pipe 8 is hermetically connected to the inlet connector 7, with one end of the transition pipe 8 communicating with the methanol channel 71 and the other end communicating with the accumulator chamber 11. In other embodiments, the inlet connector 7 is hermetically connected to the accumulator body 1 and the housing 2 via the transition pipe 8, resulting in a simple structure and ease of assembly. Methanol fuel passes through the methanol channel 71 and the transition pipe 8 before entering the accumulator chamber 11. In other embodiments, the transition pipe 8 may not be provided, and the accumulator inlet 12 and the housing inlet 21 may be directly hermetically connected by the walls of the housing 2 and the accumulator body 1.

[0043] In one embodiment, the accumulator further includes an outlet connecting pipe 9 sealingly connected to the accumulator outlet 13 and the housing outlet 22. One end of the outlet connecting pipe 9 communicates with the pressure accumulator chamber 11, and the other end is connected to the alcohol injector. The outlet connecting pipe 9 can specifically be an outlet manifold. The methanol fuel in the pressure accumulator chamber 11 enters the alcohol injector through the outlet connecting pipe 9 and is injected into the engine intake. The outlet connecting pipe 9 provides a sealed connection between the accumulator body 1 and the housing 2, simplifying the structure and facilitating assembly. Methanol fuel enters the alcohol injector from the pressure accumulator chamber 11 via the outlet connecting pipe 9. In other embodiments, the outlet connecting pipe 9 may be omitted, and the accumulator outlet 13 and the housing outlet 22 may be directly sealed by the walls of the housing 2 and the accumulator body 1. In embodiments in which both the transition pipe 8 and the outlet connecting pipe 9 are provided, the methanol fuel enters through the methanol channel 71 of the inlet connector, flows sequentially through the transition pipe 8 and the pressure accumulator chamber 11, and then enters the alcohol injector through the outlet connecting pipe 9 and is injected into the engine intake.

[0044] The sealed connection in the present application can be achieved by welding, and other sealing methods such as sealing gaskets can also be used as needed.

[0045] Based on the methanol fuel accumulator provided in the above-mentioned embodiments, the present invention further provides a marine engine system, comprising an engine, an alcohol injector, and any one of the methanol fuel accumulators described in the above-mentioned embodiments. Because the marine engine system utilizes the methanol fuel accumulator described in the above-mentioned embodiments, the beneficial effects of the marine engine system are similar to those described in the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0046] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0047] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is intended to enable one skilled in the art to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown herein but is intended to conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A methanol fuel accumulator, comprising an accumulator body, wherein the accumulator body has a pressure accumulator cavity, and the accumulator body is provided with an accumulator inlet and an accumulator outlet communicating with the pressure accumulator cavity, wherein: The accumulator further comprises a housing sealedly connected to the outside of the accumulator body, wherein a sandwich protection channel is formed between the housing and the accumulator body, and an overflow port is provided on the housing and communicates with the sandwich protection channel. Methanol fuel leaking from the accumulator body will enter the sandwich protection channel and can be discharged through the overflow port. The housing is also provided with a housing inlet and a housing outlet corresponding to the accumulator inlet and the accumulator outlet. One end of the housing is provided with a purge inlet, and the other end is provided with a purge outlet, and the purge outlet is connected to the outside open environment; The overflow port and the purge outlet share the same opening and are sealed and connected to a main pipe, and the main pipe is respectively connected to a purge outlet pipe and an overflow pipe; The purge air outlet pipe extends upward from the main pipe to the open space above the deck, the top end of the purge air outlet pipe is open, the overflow pipe extends downward from the main pipe, the bottom end of the overflow pipe is open, the purge air outlet pipe is connected to the overflow pipe and is a straight pipe fitting; The overflow port is connected to a methanol leakage alarm; A methanol overflow chamber is connected to the methanol leakage alarm, and the height of the methanol overflow chamber is lower than the height of the methanol leakage alarm; An inlet connector is provided in a sealing connection with the accumulator inlet, a methanol channel is provided on the inlet connector, the methanol channel is communicated with the accumulator inlet, a measuring hole is opened on the inlet connector and is communicated with the methanol channel, and a pressure sensor is installed in the measuring hole; It also includes an outlet connecting pipe that is sealed and connected to the accumulator outlet and the shell outlet. One end of the outlet connecting pipe is communicated with the pressure accumulation chamber, and the other end is used to be connected to the alcohol sprayer.

2. The methanol fuel accumulator according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a transition pipe sealedly connected to the accumulator inlet and the shell inlet, the transition pipe is sealedly connected to the inlet connector, one end of the transition pipe is connected to the methanol channel, and the other end is connected to the pressure accumulation chamber.

3. A marine engine system comprising an engine, an alcohol injector and a methanol fuel accumulator, characterized in that: The accumulator is the methanol fuel accumulator according to any one of claims 1 to 2.

Images