Cylinder-Level Cooled EGR Control for Combustion Delay
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Solution Overview
Problem
High levels of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in internal combustion engines lead to combustion delays and transient response issues, despite providing benefits like reduced pollutant emissions and improved engine performance, necessitating a solution to optimize EGR levels without incurring delay penalties.
Innovation Solution
A cooled exhaust gas recirculation system with cylinder-level control, where a dedicated valve introduces cooled recirculated exhaust directly into each cylinder, using a cooled exhaust gas recirculation chamber and electronically controlled valves to optimize EGR levels and reduce temperature further.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If high levels of exhaust gas recirculation are used, then nitrous oxide emissions are reduced and engine performance is improved, but combustion delays and transient response issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the EGR system into cylinder-level control units, allowing individual cylinders to receive cooled exhaust gas independently. This segmentation enables precise control of EGR levels in each cylinder, preventing excessive EGR that causes combustion delays while maintaining the emission benefits of EGR.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by providing cylinder-specific control of cooled EGR introduction. Each cylinder can have tailored EGR levels based on its specific combustion conditions, allowing optimization of both emission reduction and combustion timing without the penalties of system-wide high EGR levels.
2Productivity
If high levels of exhaust gas recirculation are used, then engine efficiency is improved, but transient response time is amplified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic control of EGR levels at the cylinder level, allowing the system to adjust EGR introduction based on real-time engine operating conditions. This dynamic adjustment enables the engine to maintain high efficiency during steady-state operation while quickly reducing EGR during transient events, minimizing response time penalties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor cylinder conditions and adjust EGR introduction accordingly. By using sensor data to control cooled EGR introduction, the system can detect transient conditions and modify EGR levels to maintain engine efficiency while minimizing transient response delays.
3Measurement precision
If cooled exhaust gas recirculation is introduced directly to cylinders, then EGR control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a multi-functional cooled EGR chamber that serves multiple purposes: cooling the exhaust gas, storing the cooled EGR, and distributing it to individual cylinders. This universal component reduces the need for separate dedicated systems, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity while maintaining high control precision.
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 allows for reduced nitrous oxide emissions, improved engine efficiency, and refined timing routines, while minimizing power delays and transient response issues by enabling precise control of EGR at each cylinder, effectively recreating the benefits of high EGR levels without the associated delays.
Implementation Method 1
The cooled exhaust gas recirculation chamber removes a portion of the exhaust that exits the cylinders, cools the removed portion of the exhaust, and recirculates the cooled removed portion of the exhaust for reintroduction into the cylinders
Data Source
AI summary
A cooled exhaust gas recirculation system includes one or more cylinders, each with several valves, an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold and a cooled exhaust gas recirculation chamber. The cooled exhaust gas recirculation chamber removes a portion of the exhaust that exits the cylinders, cools the removed portion of the exhaust, and recirculates the cooled removed portion of the exhaust for reintroduction into the cylinders. The cooled recirculated exhaust is reintroduced directly to the cylinders using a dedicated valve controlled by an electronic control unit.