Ammonia Engine Fuel Purge Layout for Leak-Safe Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing internal combustion engines using ammonia as fuel face challenges in safely and effectively purging ammonia gas to prevent hazardous leaks and emissions, which can cause engine trips and corrosion, especially in large marine or stationary engines with low speeds.
Innovation Solution
The engine incorporates a fuel purge system with high and low pressure inert gas sources to purge the fuel supply and injection systems, utilizing a catch tank and purge tank to separate and store ammonia, and an SCR catalyst to treat residual ammonia, along with a cooling system to manage temperature and prevent contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If ammonia is purged from the fuel system, then ammonia leaks and emissions are minimized, but the purging process requires complex high and low pressure gas sources and multiple tanks
Solution Approach 1:
The purge system is segmented into high pressure and low pressure subsystems, each handling different aspects of ammonia removal. The high pressure system uses a first gas source and catch tank for rapid purging, while the low pressure system uses a second gas source and purge tank for complete evacuation, dividing the complex purging task into manageable stages
Solution Approach 2:
Inert gas is introduced as an intermediary substance to displace and carry ammonia out of the fuel system. The inert gas from both high and low pressure sources acts as a mediator that safely transports ammonia from the fuel supply and injection systems to the tanks for containment and treatment
2Reliability
If high and low pressure inert gas sources are used for purging, then ammonia is effectively removed from fuel system, but device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments ammonia removal into two phases: rapid removal using high pressure inert gas to the catch tank, followed by complete evacuation using low pressure inert gas to the purge tank. This segmentation allows each subsystem to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The purge system is designed to automatically manage ammonia removal through controlled operation of the high and low pressure gas sources. The system self-regulates the purging process, transitioning between pressure levels and tank destinations based on operational requirements, reducing the need for manual intervention
3Object-generated harmful factors
If purge tanks and catch tanks are implemented, then ammonia containment is improved, but space requirements and system volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
Ammonia containment is segmented across two separate tanks: the catch tank receives ammonia during high pressure purging operations, while the purge tank handles ammonia from low pressure evacuation. This segmentation allows distributed containment that can be strategically positioned within the engine room, managing space requirements through functional separation
4Reliability
If fuel purge system with multiple components is used, then engine safety is improved, but ease of operation and maintenance becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The purge control unit automatically manages the complex sequence of high and low pressure purging operations, controlling gas sources, valves, and tank selections without requiring manual intervention. This automation maintains high engine safety through thorough ammonia removal while simplifying operation through centralized intelligent control
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 system effectively minimizes ammonia leaks and emissions, ensuring safer operation and efficient transition between fuel types, reducing the risk of engine trips and corrosion while maintaining engine performance.
Implementation Method 1
providing high pressure inert gas to a fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine and guiding the high-pressure inert gas through the fuel supply system into a catch tank, thereby transporting liquid fuel from the fuel supply system into the catch tank
Implementation Method 2
reducing the pressure in the fuel injection system such that fuel in the fuel injection system evaporates
Implementation Method 3
reducing the pressure in the fuel injection system
Implementation Method 4
an SCR catalyst to treat residual ammonia
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention is directed to an internal combustion engine and to a method for operating an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine (100), having at least one cylinder (101) with an inner diameter of at least 200mm comprises a fuel supply system (110), in particular an ammonia supply system, with a main fuel tank (111), a fuel distributor (112), a fuel injection system (120) arranged downstream the fuel distributor (112), and at least one separation valve (9), which is fluidly arranged between the fuel supply system (110) and the fuel injection system (120). The internal combustion engine (100) further comprises a fuel purge system (125) with at least a liquid fuel purge system (130). The liquid fuel purge system (130) comprises a high pressure source (131) of inert gas, preferably N2, preferably with a pressure of greater than 30 bar, which is fluidly connected or connectable to at least the fuel supply system (110), preferably upstream the fuel distributor (112), and a catch tank (132) for receiving and storing liquid fuel. The fuel purge system (125) comprises a purge control unit (150) which is adapted to set a first liquid fuel purge mode to purge the fuel supply system (110), wherein the purge control unit is adapted to establish a fluid connection between the high pressure source (131) of inert gas and the fuel distributor (112), and wherein the purge control unit (150) is adapted to establish a fluid connection between the fuel distributor (112) and the catch tank (132), such that inert gas from the high pressure source (131) of inert gas is guided through the fuel distributor (112) and into the catch tank (132).