CNG Fuel Feeding System Regulator Heating via Coolant Cycle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing feeding systems for CNG or LNG fuel in gas vehicles face challenges with cold starts, particularly under high load, as they struggle to quickly supply heat to prevent icing and ensure efficient fuel delivery, leading to potential engine accidents and inefficient heating systems.
Innovation Solution
A feeding system that includes a heater with a heat source and heat transfer medium to preheat the gas pressure regulator and fuel line, utilizing phase transitions for efficient heat transfer, and potentially using exhaust gas as a heating source to rapidly raise the temperature of the fuel and regulator, minimizing icing risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the gas pressure regulator is heated using conventional heating systems, then the temperature increase is insufficiently quick, but the system complexity and fuel consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is integrated into the water cycle system of the motor vehicle. The heater utilizes the existing water cycle infrastructure, merging the heating function with the coolant system. This eliminates the need for separate heating components and reduces system complexity while achieving rapid temperature increase through the efficient heat transfer of the circulating coolant.
Solution Approach 2:
The water cycle system serves dual purposes: engine cooling and gas pressure regulator heating. The same coolant that cools the engine is routed through the heater to warm the gas pressure regulator. This multi-functional approach eliminates dedicated heating components and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining rapid heating capability.
2Temperature
If a parking heater is used to heat the gas pressure regulator, then the temperature can be maintained, but the thermal inertia prevents sufficient early heating before cold start
Solution Approach 1:
The heater is designed to activate before the cold start of the internal combustion engine. By integrating it into the water cycle system, the heater can begin warming the gas pressure regulator as soon as the engine starts circulating coolant, providing preliminary heating action before fuel injection begins. This eliminates the thermal inertia problem of parking heaters by using the engine's own operating cycle to drive the preheating process.
3Temperature
If the heating system is designed to heat the gas pressure regulator quickly, then icing is prevented, but excessive fuel consumption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the waste heat from the engine coolant into a useful heating source for the gas pressure regulator. Instead of dissipating this thermal energy, it is captured and directed to prevent icing at the regulator. This eliminates the need for additional fuel consumption dedicated to heating, as the heat source is already being generated by the engine's operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating system is self-sustaining through the engine's own water cycle. The coolant naturally circulates through the heater, providing continuous heat to the gas pressure regulator without requiring external energy input. The system uses the engine's operational thermal output to maintain appropriate temperatures, eliminating the need for separate fuel-consuming heating systems.
4Reliability
If bivalent fuel systems are used for cold start, then icing is avoided, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is extracted from complex fuel system modifications and integrated into the existing water cycle system. Instead of requiring bivalent fuel systems with dual fuel tanks, injectors, and control systems, the invention extracts the essential heating need and satisfies it through the readily available coolant circulation system, maintaining simplicity while ensuring cold start reliability.
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 solution ensures rapid and effective heating of the gas pressure regulator and fuel line, preventing icing and ensuring reliable engine operation during cold starts, while also optimizing fuel efficiency by reducing the need for excessive heating and fuel consumption.
Implementation Method 1
The heating of the gas pressure regulator takes place starting from the heating source and at least via the first heat transfer medium
Implementation Method 2
A temperature increase of the CNG or LNG fuel is thus realized by heat transfer and / or line starting from the heating source
Implementation Method 3
The heating source can heat z. B. by burning the CNG or LNG fuel or generated by electrical resistance heating or use heat generated
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
Supply system (1) for supplying a CNG or LNG fuel (2) from a tank (3) to an internal combustion engine (4), wherein the supply system (1) comprises at least a line (5), a heating device (6) and a gas pressure regulator (7), wherein the line (5) is connectable to the tank (3) via a first end (8) and is connected to the gas pressure regulator (7) via a second end (9); wherein at least the gas pressure regulator (7) is heatable via the heating device (6).