Charged Piston Engine Fuel Repels Wall Boundary Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines, particularly those using lean burn technology, face challenges in reducing unburned and partially burned hydrocarbon emissions due to thermal boundary layers near combustion chamber walls, where rapid heat exchange inhibits effective fuel oxidation, leading to increased THC emissions.
Innovation Solution
The method involves electrically charging gaseous fuel with a predetermined polarity before introduction into combustion chambers and applying the same polarity to the chamber walls, using a high-voltage source, to repel fuel molecules from the walls, thereby reducing fuel concentration in the thermal boundary layer and enhancing combustion efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If fuel concentration near combustion chamber walls is high, then fuel supply is adequate, but fuel oxidation is ineffective causing increased THC emissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical charge parameter of both fuel and wall surfaces. By applying the same polarity charge to both, electrostatic repulsion forces prevent fuel molecules from accumulating near the combustion chamber walls, ensuring adequate fuel oxidation without excessive fuel concentration in the thermal boundary layer, thus reducing THC emissions
2Object-generated harmful factors
If electric charge is applied to the whole cylinder liner, then fuel concentration near walls is kept lower throughout combustion, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cylinder liner into two functional zones: an electrically charged anti-polishing ring at the top and an uncharged lower section. This segmentation allows the critical combustion zone near the walls to be treated with electrostatic repulsion while avoiding the complexity of charging the entire liner, simplifying manufacturing and electrical isolation requirements
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
This approach effectively reduces THC emissions by improving fuel oxidation near the combustion chamber walls, ensuring lower fuel concentration throughout the combustion process and minimizing unburned hydrocarbon emissions.
Implementation Method 1
gas molecules of the fuel are electrically charged with a predetermined polarity before being introduced into combustion chambers of the engine, and electric charge with the same polarity is applied to walls of the combustion chambers
Implementation Method 2
the fuel is electrically charged with an ionizer that is arranged in a fuel feed system upstream from gas admission valves of the cylinders
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
In the method for reducing emissions of unburned and partially burned hydro-carbons in a piston engine (1) that is operated using gaseous fuel as a main fuel, gas molecules of the fuel are electrically charged with a predetermined polarity before being introduced into combustion chambers (15) of the engine (1), and electric charge with the same polarity is applied to walls of the combustion chambers (15).