Combustion Chamber Wall Inlet Structure for Homogeneous Swirl

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing combustion chamber designs for heating devices in vehicles face challenges in generating homogeneous swirl for efficient and low-emission combustion, leading to increased manufacturing costs, material usage, and undesirable weight gain, while also suffering from burr formation and the Coandé effect that limits mixing efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A combustion chamber wall design featuring a relief cut and forming section in the circumferential wall to create inlet openings, allowing for a tangential and radial flow component, eliminating burr formation and enhancing swirl generation for improved mixing without the Coandé effect.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If tangentially oriented bores are used to generate swirl, then swirl generation is improved, but circumferential wall thickness must be increased leading to weight gain and increased material usage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveswirl generationVSAvoidcombustion chamber weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The inlet opening is divided into two functional parts: a relief cut that creates the opening and a forming section that generates swirl. This segmentation allows the swirl generation function to be integrated into the wall structure itself rather than requiring separate thick-walled components or additional swirl-generating elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The relief cut and forming section are combined into a single integrated structure in the circumferential wall. The forming section is shaped radially towards the central axis and is directly adjacent to the relief cut, merging the opening creation and swirl generation functions into one unified component that works within thin-walled structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Device complexity

If tab-like pressed-in air inlet openings are used, then swirl generation is achieved in thin walls, but burr formation occurs reducing flow area and affecting combustion conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewall thicknessVSAvoidinlet opening quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The relief cut is formed as a preliminary step before the forming section is created. By establishing the opening first through the relief cut, the subsequent forming process can shape the edges properly without creating burrs, as the opening geometry is pre-defined and the forming section is then shaped radially towards the central axis in a controlled manner.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If pressing tool and counter-stop are used to form tabs, then inlet openings are created, but the cutting process tears material and creates burrs requiring inspection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinlet opening formationVSAvoidseparation line quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The traditional mechanical pressing tool and counter-stop system is replaced with a forming process that shapes the wall material radially towards the central axis. This forming action creates the inlet opening and swirl-generating edges without the tearing and burr formation characteristic of cutting operations, eliminating the need for subsequent inspection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Ease of operation

If tangentially oriented opening area is used, then air flows along circumferential wall, but Coandé effect causes flow to remain in radially outer region limiting mixing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair flow introductionVSAvoidmixing homogeneity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The forming section is shaped asymmetrically radially towards the central axis, creating an asymmetric geometry that disrupts the symmetric Coandé effect. This asymmetric shaping causes the flow to be directed more effectively into the combustion chamber center region, improving mixing homogeneity across the combustion chamber.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

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 design achieves cost-effective, efficient, and weight-reduced swirl generation with homogeneous mixing across the combustion chamber, reducing manufacturing complexity and eliminating the need for additional inspections.

Implementation Method 1

a formed section (54) in the circumferential wall (44), which is shaped in a radial direction towards the central axis... The formed section (54) is shaped radially towards the central axis in order to generate a swirl in the introduced air flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSwirl generation: Vortex Generator

Implementation Method 2

eliminating burr formation and enhancing swirl generation for improved mixing without the Coandé effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCoandé effect: Coanda Effect

Data Source

PatentEP4553384B1Combustion chamber wall and combustion chamber assembly for a heating device in a vehicle and method for producing same
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 WEBASTO AG
  • EP4553384B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4553384B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4553384B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A combustion chamber wall for a combustion chamber assembly (100) of a heating device (1) in a vehicle is configured to form a combustion chamber (8). It comprises a cylindrical circumferential wall (44) which defines a central axis (C) extending in the axial direction (X). At least one structure (22) for introducing an oxidizer into the combustion chamber (8) is formed in the circumferential wall (44). The structure comprises a relief (52) formed in the circumferential wall, which forms an inlet opening, and a formed section (54) formed in the circumferential wall (44), which is shaped in a radial direction (R) towards the central axis (C). The relief (52) adjoins the formed section (52) shaped towards the central axis (C) directly in a circumferential direction (P) of the circumferential wall (44).