Ammonia Internal Combustion Engine Without Hydrogen Promoters
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing internal combustion engines that use ammonia as a main fuel require combustion promoters like hydrogen, which increases complexity and costs.
Innovation Solution
An internal combustion engine design that utilizes ammonia as the primary fuel without the need for combustion promoters, featuring an intake manifold, intercooler, cylinder head, ammonia source, and control device to manage the combustion process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If combustion promoters like hydrogen are added to enable ammonia combustion, then combustion reliability is improved, but device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the combustion promoter (hydrogen) from the system entirely, achieving ammonia combustion without requiring additional fuel sources or complex delivery systems for promoters. The extraction principle eliminates the need for separate hydrogen storage, injection, and control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves self-sufficient ammonia combustion by optimizing the ammonia-air mixture composition and compression parameters. The ammonia itself serves as the sole fuel source, and the system's own compression and heating processes enable ignition without external combustion promoters.
2Reliability
If combustion promoters like hydrogen are added to enable ammonia combustion, then combustion reliability is improved, but costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for hydrogen fuel systems, storage tanks, and injection infrastructure, significantly reducing material costs, installation expenses, and maintenance requirements associated with combustion promoter systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses only ammonia as fuel, which can be stored and delivered through simpler, less expensive infrastructure compared to dual-fuel systems requiring both ammonia and hydrogen storage and delivery mechanisms.
3Productivity
If a geometrical compression ratio between 12 and 22 is used, then ammonia combustion efficiency is improved, but the risk of premature combustion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the compression ratio within a specific range (12-22) to achieve sufficient combustion efficiency while avoiding premature ignition. This parameter optimization is complemented by controlling the ammonia-air mixture composition and ignition timing to prevent knock and premature combustion.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system monitors combustion parameters and adjusts ignition timing and mixture composition in real-time to prevent premature combustion while maintaining high efficiency. Feedback control ensures the engine operates within safe parameters even at high compression ratios.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The engine achieves efficient combustion of ammonia without the need for combustion promoters, reducing complexity and costs while maintaining high performance.
Implementation Method 1
at least one intercooler coupled to the intake manifold... the intercooler is controlled to provide a gaseous medium with a temperature of at least 60° C., preferably with a temperature of at least 80° C., to the intake manifold, wherein preferably the intercooler is controlled to keep the temperature below 220° C.
Implementation Method 2
an ignition device to start combustion of the combustion charge... the control device is configured to control the ignition device to start combustion of the combustion charges in each piston-cylinder-unit between −35 degrees to −10 degrees TDC
Implementation Method 3
cylindrical main combustion chamber for combustion of a combustion charge... each piston-cylinder-unit has at least one intake valve coupled to the intake manifold, and an ignition device to start combustion of the combustion charge
Data Source
AI summary
An internal combustion engine includes an intake manifold, at least one intercooler, at least one cylinder head with a plurality of piston-cylinder-units, at least one ammonia source, and a controller. Each piston-cylinder-unit includes at least a main combustion chamber, at least one intake valve, and an ignition device. The at least one ammonia source is configured to provide ammonia to each piston-cylinder unit as part of a combustion charge. The controller is configured to control the intercooler to provide a gaseous medium with a temperature of at least 60° C. to the intake manifold, and control a lambda of the combustion charge inside each main combustion chamber to be between 0.9 and 1.2.