Convection Pump Gas Sensor for Engine Atmosphere Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for monitoring gas and aerosol concentrations in internal combustion engines face challenges such as structural complexity, contamination of sensors, and inadequate airflow, leading to false alarms and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A system using a convection pump with a single electrical supply cable and no moving parts, featuring a heating element and a passive or active cooling system, where the sensor units are placed in the flow channel between heating and cooling elements, allowing for effective circulation and reduced contamination, and optionally using a Peltier element for heating and cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fan is used to suck aerosol out of the working space, then aerosol can be drawn through the measuring chamber, but the fan becomes polluted by the atmosphere and requires complex pipe systems that accumulate oil
Solution Approach 1:
The measuring device is extracted from the external environment and placed directly inside the working chamber, eliminating the need for suction pipes and fans. The sensor unit is self-contained within the chamber, taking out the problematic external components that caused pollution and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A transparent window is introduced as an intermediary between the sensor and the working chamber atmosphere. This window allows optical measurement without direct contact between the sensor and contaminated air, solving both the pollution problem and maintaining measurement effectiveness.
2Measurement precision
If sensors are arranged directly inside the working chamber, then measurement can be performed, but sensors are contaminated by oil mist and spray over time
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent window serves as an intermediary barrier between the sensor and the contaminated working chamber atmosphere. This allows the sensor to perform optical measurements of oil mist concentration without direct exposure to contaminants, maintaining both measurement precision and sensor reliability.
3Productivity
If Venturi nozzles with compressed air supply are used, then sufficient flow through measuring points is achieved, but complex supply lines are required
Solution Approach 1:
The external compressed air supply system is removed entirely. Instead, the measuring device uses the natural pressure differences and gas dynamics within the working chamber to achieve sufficient flow through the measurement points, eliminating complex supply lines while maintaining productivity.
4Loss of information
If multiple measuring points are monitored separately, then damage location can be localized, but multiple cables and complex wiring are required
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensor units are merged into a single integrated measuring device with unified power supply and signal processing. Each sensor maintains its independent measurement capability for localization, while sharing common resources (power cable, processing unit) to reduce overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The measuring device is designed with universal components that serve multiple functions - a single power supply cable provides power to all sensor units, and a central processing unit handles data from all measurement points, enabling multi-functionality without proportional increase in 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
Enables reliable and efficient analysis of gas and aerosol mixtures with reduced sensor contamination and operational complexity, allowing for early detection of potential engine damage and improved monitoring accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
a convection pump (8) with only one electrical supply cable and without any mechanically moving parts, in particular without a propeller
Implementation Method 2
the sensor unit (26) are placed in the flow channel between heating and cooling elements
Implementation Method 3
the sensor unit (26) are placed in the flow channel between heating and cooling elements
Implementation Method 4
optionally using a Peltier element for heating and cooling
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~4
Figure 5
AI summary
In order to improve a system for monitoring the working area atmosphere of a machine, measuring devices (2) for determining readings for a gas and/or an aerosol in the working area (4) of a machine are used as a starting point. Each measuring device comprises a suction means (8), which extracts a gas and/or a mixture of an aerosol and gas from the working area (4) of the machine and feeds it to a sensor unit (16, 17, 18). An electronics module for operating the sensor unit (16, 17, 18) is also present. The suction means is designed as a convection pump (8), preferably with a heating device (42) and a cooling device (44).