Hybrid system integrating water-jet flash evaporation engine

Abstract

This invention discloses a hybrid power system integrating a water-injection flash evaporation dual-mode piston engine and a five-stage gradient energy storage system. The engine adopts a one-piece cylinder head-less structure with passive valves embedded in the cylinder wall ports. An independent compressor actively scavenges air; during scavenging, excess air is injected, and the piston pushes back some air to precisely match the air-fuel ratio. The intake port supports both passive valve and active electronic control dual-mode operation. Atomized water is injected for flash evaporation after combustion in the initial stage of the power stroke. The cylinder walls are coated with a ceramic heat-insulating coating, eliminating the need for a traditional water-cooling system. It supports dual-fuel ignition (gasoline and diesel) and compression ignition dual-mode operation. Spark plugs are optional, and the number of cylinders and cylinder block layout are unlimited. It has independent direct-drive capability and can operate dynamically within a wide sweet spot, achieving a thermal efficiency of over 60%. The five-stage gradient energy storage system includes solar panels, supercapacitors, lithium titanate batteries, lithium iron phosphate batteries, and the engine itself. This system can achieve maximum energy cascade utilization under all operating conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hybrid power technology, specifically to a composite power system that deeply integrates a novel engine with active thermal management and water injection flash evaporation functions with a five-level gradient energy storage array comprising solar energy, supercapacitors, lithium titanate, lithium iron phosphate, and the engine itself. This system aims to maximize energy utilization efficiency under all operating conditions with the most streamlined mechanical structure. Background Technology

[0002] The existing hybrid power systems have long suffered from the following core contradictions: Range extender efficiency bottleneck: Traditional four-stroke range extenders are constrained by multiple factors such as pumping air loss, mechanical friction, cooling heat dissipation, and knocking, making it difficult for their thermal efficiency to exceed 50%.

[0003] Single energy storage medium: Most use a single lithium-ion battery, which cannot achieve both power density and energy density. Instantaneous high-power charging and discharging severely shortens the battery cycle life.

[0004] The energy flow path is chaotic: there is a lack of a clear hierarchical energy storage architecture, the energy flow is intertwined and mixed, the system control is complex and the response is lagging.

[0005] Emission control is complex: traditional diesel engines rely on urea injection to treat exhaust gases, while range-extended or hybrid systems require complex after-treatment devices, increasing operating costs.

[0006] Lack of battery maintenance due to long-term storage: Lithium batteries experience a significant decline in calendar life due to the lack of constant temperature maintenance. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This invention provides a hybrid power system integrating a water-injection flash evaporation dual-mode two-stroke opposed piston engine and a five-stage gradient energy storage system, achieved through the following technical solution: I. Water Injection Flash Evaporation Dual-Mode Piston Engine The engine employs a unibody cylinder block structure, eliminating the traditional cylinder head, camshaft, and timing chain. The exhaust ports are located in the lower cylinder wall area, each with a passively opening and closing valve embedded inside. This valve is directly pushed open or closed by the piston rings during reciprocating motion (preventing oil from entering the exhaust manifold). The intake ports can be flexibly located in the upper cylinder wall area or the cylinder head area. Each intake port can be equipped with a passively opening and closing valve or a one-way valve, directly pushed open by the piston rings during reciprocating motion or passively opened by the intake airflow. Alternatively, an actively controlled solenoid valve or electronically controlled throttle valve can be installed, with the ECU precisely controlling the intake valve's opening time, duration, and lift in real time according to engine operating conditions to accurately manage intake volume, scavenging efficiency, and cylinder temperature. The number of cylinders is unlimited; it can be flexibly configured as a single-cylinder, two-cylinder, three-cylinder, four-cylinder, or more cylinders depending on power requirements. The cylinder block layout is also unrestricted, including inline, horizontally opposed, or V-type configurations. When using a horizontally opposed layout, by setting the two opposed cylinders to be horizontally opposed and working simultaneously, the reciprocating inertial forces of the two cylinder pistons can be completely symmetrically canceled out, achieving engine self-balancing without the need for additional counterweights or balance shafts.

[0008] The intake system employs an independent compressor for active forced scavenging. This compressor is driven by an exhaust turbine, with residual exhaust pressure at the end of the power stroke driving the turbine's rotation. The turbocharged gas is stored in an air reservoir, from which it supplies air to the cylinder. When the piston moves downwards and opens the exhaust port, exhaust gas begins to escape. As the piston continues downwards and opens the intake port, excess compressed air from the reservoir is injected through the intake port, forcibly pushing the remaining exhaust gas out of the exhaust port, completing the scavenging process. Afterwards, the intake port remains open, and as the piston moves upwards, some excess air is pushed back into the intake manifold until the remaining air volume in the cylinder precisely matches the target air-fuel ratio calculated by the ECU based on the current power requirement. At this point, the intake port is actively closed by the ECU. The opening and closing of the exhaust port are passively controlled by the piston rings during their reciprocating motion. This design, by actively controlling the timing of intake port closure, precisely manages the amount of air in the cylinder, achieving the optimal air-fuel ratio under different operating conditions.

[0009] The engine integrates a water injection flash evaporation system. During the initial power stroke and after combustion, atomized water mist exceeding 90 degrees Celsius is injected into the cylinder. This water mist absorbs residual heat from the cylinder and instantly vaporizes, generating steam pressure to continue driving the piston and performing work, thus achieving secondary heat recovery and utilization. The water used for injection is preheated to near boiling point by exhaust waste heat through a heat exchanger. A ceramic heat-insulating coating can be sprayed onto the inner wall of the cylinder to lock heat within the combustion gases. The engine eliminates the need for a traditional water-cooling system; heat is carried away by the scavenging airflow and the water injection flash evaporation process. Lubrication utilizes an electronic oil pump for active spraying, physically isolated from the intake and exhaust passages.

[0010] II. Five-level gradient energy storage array The system is equipped with a five-level gradient energy storage array, completely decoupling the "power" and "energy" requirements: First-stage solar panels: Located on the roof or body surface of the vehicle, they are used for continuous trickle charging when the vehicle is parked for a long time. They prioritize maintaining a constant temperature for the lower-level battery pack, delaying calendar life degradation, and storing excess energy in the lower-level energy storage unit.

[0011] The second-stage supercapacitor bank has the highest power density and extremely long cycle life, and is used for instantaneous power response in the millisecond to second range, including launch control, full-throttle acceleration, and emergency braking energy recovery.

[0012] The third-level lithium titanate battery pack has a power density second only to supercapacitors, an extremely long cycle life, and excellent low-temperature performance. It is used for power buffering at the second to minute level and supports continuous high-power output after the supercapacitor discharges.

[0013] The fourth-level main energy storage battery pack has the highest energy density and uses lithium iron phosphate batteries. It is used for steady-state driving range of minutes or more and always operates in the smoothest range to avoid the impact of high-rate charging and discharging.

[0014] The fifth-stage water-injection flash-evaporation dual-mode engine, acting as a range extender, can dynamically operate within a wide speed range, precisely matching the intake air volume and fuel injection volume through the ECU, always maintaining the highest thermal efficiency sweet spot under the current load demand, providing efficient basic electrical energy to each stage of energy storage units. It can also be used independently as a pure gasoline engine.

[0015] III. Energy Management Controller The system is centrally managed by an energy management controller. Multiple levels of available energy units are displayed on the driver's screen. The controller monitors the state of charge, temperature, health, and overall vehicle operating conditions of each energy storage unit in real time, dynamically executing energy scheduling rules. During rapid acceleration from a standstill, the supercapacitor discharges instantaneously, the lithium titanate battery takes over with continuous output, and the main energy storage battery smoothly replenishes the system. During regenerative braking, the supercapacitor recovers energy instantaneously at its highest rate, the lithium titanate battery assists in recovery, and the main energy storage battery only receives a smooth trickle charge. During cruising at idle, the range extender output matches the vehicle load; excess energy is stored in the energy storage array, and insufficient energy is slowly replenished by the main energy storage battery. During long-term parking, the solar panels prioritize maintaining a constant battery temperature, and excess energy is stored in the main energy storage battery.

[0016] IV. Multi-scenario matching and programmable control This system can flexibly adjust the proportion of the five energy storage levels according to different application scenarios, and even reduce a certain level. The range extender displacement is optional, the capacity of each energy storage array can be adjusted independently, and the control strategy is implemented through ECU programming, realizing "one vehicle, multiple states, software definition".

[0017] V. Core Technological Advantages The engine's thermal efficiency can reach 60% to 78%, and with the five-level gradient energy storage, its overall efficiency under all operating conditions far exceeds that of existing hybrid power systems.

[0018] The engine has an extremely simple structure, with no cylinder head, no camshaft, no timing chain, no water cooling system, and no spark plugs (optional). Its size and weight are only a fraction of those of a traditional engine with the same power output.

[0019] With active scavenging and homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) for dual control of cylinder temperature, diesel engines do not require urea, and gasoline engines can directly compress and ignite. The same engine is compatible with both gasoline and diesel fuels.

[0020] Completely decoupling "power" and "energy" allows each level of energy storage to perform its own function, ensuring that the main energy storage battery always operates in the smoothest range, significantly extending both cycle life and calendar life.

[0021] With all-weather adaptability, the lithium titanate battery and solar panel together ensure that the system has efficient charging and discharging capabilities in extremely cold environments.

[0022] (Five-stage gradient energy storage section) Ultimate Energy Recovery and Cascaded Utilization: The five-level gradient energy storage array can fully cover the entire timescale from milliseconds to long-term storage. The supercapacitor bank can recover all braking energy at the highest rate when a bus is fully loaded and brakes heavily at a station, and release it instantly when starting to leave the station; the lithium titanate battery pack can continuously recover gravitational potential energy in long downhill mountain conditions or high-altitude low-oxygen conditions, avoiding high-current impact on the main energy storage battery; the solar panel can continuously trickle-charge energy when the battery is parked for a long time, maintain constant temperature maintenance of the battery, and delay the degradation of calendar life.

[0023] Full-condition power decoupling and powerful output: The range extender only needs to meet the average power required for steady-state cruising of the vehicle. The instantaneous peak power during start-up, hill climbing, and takeoff is supplied by the supercapacitor and lithium titanate battery packs. When mining trucks are going uphill empty or downhill fully loaded, the massive potential energy of the descent is fully recovered by the supercapacitor and lithium titanate battery and used directly for going uphill empty, requiring almost no external charging and achieving self-sufficiency even under extreme conditions. When an aircraft takes off, the supercapacitor and lithium titanate battery can release a massive amount of electrical energy in a very short time, driving the motor to unleash peak power; during cruising, the range extender locks in the sweet spot for continuous power supply and replenishment.

[0024] All-weather adaptability and lifetime maintenance-free operation: The lithium titanate battery pack can be charged and discharged normally in extremely cold environments, ensuring reliable operation in high-altitude and high-latitude regions; the solar panels and the waste heat from the range extender work together to maintain a constant battery temperature, significantly extending the calendar life and cycle life of the main energy storage battery; the cycle life of the supercapacitor and lithium titanate battery can reach the entire service life of the vehicle, achieving lifetime maintenance without replacement, completely eliminating the huge maintenance costs caused by frequent battery failures in traditional buses, mining trucks, and heavy trucks.

[0025] Flexible configuration and software-defined capabilities: The range extender displacement is selectable, and the capacity of each level of the five-stage energy storage array can be independently adjusted or reduced. For city buses operating on flat roads, lithium titanate can be omitted, while full capacity must be maintained for mountainous conditions; heavy-duty trucks transporting goods on flat roads only require supercapacitors and lithium iron phosphate; mining trucks can directly omit lithium iron phosphate, achieving self-sufficiency solely through supercapacitors and lithium titanate. Control strategies are programmable via ECU, allowing the same hardware architecture to switch between different modes such as bus, mining truck, and aircraft, achieving "one vehicle, multiple states, software-defined."

Claims

1. A hybrid power system integrating a water-injection flash evaporation dual-mode piston engine and a five-stage gradient energy storage, characterized in that, include: A new type of piston engine with active thermal management and water injection flash evaporation functions, hereinafter referred to as the engine; A five-level gradient energy storage array electrically connected to the engine; The engine, acting as a range extender, operates continuously at its highest thermal efficiency sweet spot, providing basic electrical energy to energy storage units at all levels.

2. The hybrid power system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The five-level gradient energy storage array includes: The first-stage solar panel is used for continuous trickle-flow energy replenishment and constant temperature maintenance during long-term storage. The second-stage supercapacitor bank is used for instantaneous power response in the millisecond to second range; The third-level lithium titanate battery pack is used for power buffering at the second to minute level. The fourth-level main energy storage battery pack uses lithium iron phosphate batteries and is used for steady-state range of more than minutes. The engine, as the fifth stage, is fixed at the sweet spot to continuously generate electricity and replenish energy.

3. The hybrid power system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The engine eliminates the traditional cylinder head and adopts a one-piece cylinder block structure; the exhaust port is located in the lower part of the cylinder wall, and each exhaust port has a passively opening and closing valve embedded inside. The valve is directly pushed by the piston ring during reciprocating motion to open or close, while preventing engine oil from entering the exhaust passage; the intake port can be flexibly located in the upper part of the cylinder wall or the cylinder top area; the number of cylinders of the engine is unlimited, and the cylinder block layout is unlimited.

4. The engine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inner side of the air intake can be equipped with a passively opening and closing valve or a one-way valve, which is directly pushed by the piston rings in reciprocating motion or passively opened by the intake airflow; or an actively controlled solenoid valve or an electronically controlled throttle valve can be equipped, which is controlled by the ECU to precisely control the opening and closing of the intake valve in real time according to the engine operating conditions.

5. The engine according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the engine adopts an opposed layout, the reciprocating inertial forces of the opposed pistons are completely symmetrically canceled out, achieving engine self-balancing without the need for additional counterweights or balance shafts; the number of cylinders in the opposed layout is not limited, and can be two-cylinder, four-cylinder, six-cylinder or more.

6. The engine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The engine eliminates crankcase pre-compression scavenging and adopts an independent compressor for active forced scavenging. The compressor is driven by an exhaust turbine, and the residual pressure of the exhaust gas at the end of the power stroke drives the turbine to rotate. The turbocharged gas can be stored in a gas tank and supplied to the cylinder from the gas tank. Alternatively, it can be supplied directly.

7. The engine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The active forced scavenging process is as follows: when the piston moves downward to open the exhaust port, exhaust gas begins to be discharged; when the piston continues to move downward to open the intake port, compressed air in the air tank is excessively injected through the intake port, forcibly pushing the remaining exhaust gas out of the exhaust port, thus completing the scavenging; thereafter, the intake port remains open, and as the piston moves upward, some of the excess air is pushed back into the intake manifold by the piston until the amount of remaining air in the cylinder exactly matches the target air-fuel ratio calculated by the ECU based on the current power requirement, at which point the intake port is actively closed by the ECU; the opening and closing of the exhaust port is passively controlled by the piston rings during reciprocating motion.

8. The engine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The engine integrates a water injection flash evaporation system; during the initial stage of the power stroke and after combustion, atomized water at a temperature of over 90 degrees Celsius is injected into the cylinder. The water mist absorbs the residual heat in the cylinder and instantly vaporizes, generating steam pressure to continue driving the piston to do power; the water used for injection is preheated to near boiling point by the exhaust waste heat through a heat exchanger; the inner wall of the cylinder is coated with a ceramic heat insulation coating; the engine does not require a traditional water cooling system; lubrication is achieved by an electronic oil pump actively spraying oil, which is physically isolated from the intake and exhaust passages.

9. The engine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The engine supports both spark ignition and compression ignition modes; in an environment where a pure homogeneous mixture is formed by scavenging, the fuel can achieve compression ignition at a high compression ratio; the spark plug is located on the cylinder wall or cylinder top and is configured as an optional non-essential component, and the engine can switch between two structures with or without the spark plug; the same engine is compatible with both gasoline and diesel fuels; no urea aftertreatment is required in diesel mode.

10. The engine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The engine has independent direct drive capability and can directly drive the gearbox, wheels, propeller or generator, etc., without relying on external motor assistance, and can also operate independently without relying on the five-level gradient energy storage system.

11. The engine according to claim 3, characterized in that, Thanks to the precise adjustment of the intake air volume, the engine does not need to be fixed at a single speed sweet spot. Instead, it can operate dynamically within a wide speed range, through the precise matching of intake air volume and fuel injection volume by the ECU, always operating at the highest thermal efficiency sweet spot under the current load requirements.

12. The hybrid power system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The system can flexibly adjust the proportion of the five-level energy storage according to different application scenarios, including reducing a certain level; the range extender displacement is optional, the capacity of each level of energy storage array can be adjusted independently, and the control strategy is programmable through ECU.