Compressor Housing Cooling Duct for Intake Condensation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
High exhaust-gas recirculation rates in internal combustion engines lead to condensate formation in the intake line, potentially causing irreversible damage to system components, and existing solutions like two-stage exhaust gas coolers and multiple heat exchangers increase costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A supercharged internal combustion engine with a liquid-type cooling arrangement in the compressor housing, featuring a heat exchanger to heat the cooling liquid, which is then used to prevent condensation by maintaining the charge air temperature above the dew point, and a bypass system to adjust coolant flow based on charge air temperature thresholds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If high exhaust-gas recirculation rates are used to decrease NOx emissions, then emissions are reduced, but condensate formation occurs in the intake line causing component damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by heating the charge air before it enters the compressor using a heat exchanger that utilizes exhaust gas heat. This pre-heating prevents the charge air temperature from dropping below the dew point during compression, thereby preventing condensate formation before it can cause damage to compressor components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful hot exhaust gas into a beneficial heat source by routing it through a heat exchanger that transfers thermal energy to the charge air. This converts the waste heat that would otherwise be discarded into a useful resource for preventing condensation, allowing high EGR rates without condensate formation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple heat exchangers and cooling circuits are used to prevent condensate formation, then condensation is avoided, but system complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger serves multiple functions: it recovers heat from exhaust gas, pre-heats the charge air to prevent condensation, and can potentially serve as part of the overall thermal management system. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated heating devices, reducing system complexity while still preventing condensate formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the exhaust gas heat recovery function with the charge air heating function into a single integrated heat exchanger unit. By combining these functions and utilizing the existing exhaust gas thermal energy, the system avoids adding separate complex cooling and heating circuits, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
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 effectively reduces condensation and allows for high exhaust-gas recirculation rates without damaging components, while also improving compressor efficiency and reducing the risk of water hammer, thus enhancing engine operation and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger, arranged in the cooling circuit upstream of the housing, which heat exchanger serves for heating the cooling liquid
Implementation Method 2
The heated cooling liquid may then be passed directly from the heat exchanger to the intake compressor housing coolant duct in order to heat the charge air to reduce condensation formation
Implementation Method 3
at least one compressor, arranged in the intake line, comprises at least one rotor mounted on a rotatable shaft and a housing in which said at least one rotor is arranged
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system is provided to heat and cool the charge air in an intake system via a compressor coolant duct to reduce condensate formation on the one hand respectively increase charge air cooling on the other hand. Potential heat sources for the low temperature circuit do include the high temperature engine cooling circuit as well as exhaust gas. A shut-off element arranged in a bypass line about the heat exchanger may be adjusted to control delivery responsive to the charge air temperature condition.