Decoupled Fuel Pump System for Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern gasoline direct injection engines face challenges with high energy consumption, mechanical noise, and reduced efficiency due to the fixed connection of high-pressure pumps to the engine, which also lead to increased costs and complexity, especially when incorporating water injection for emission control and power enhancement.
Innovation Solution
A fuel pump system decouples the low-pressure and high-pressure pumps from the engine, using a dedicated pump drive to synchronize their operation independently of engine speed, allowing for a single pump configuration to serve various engines and vehicles, reducing noise, and optimizing efficiency through independent operation and precise emulsion mixing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the high-pressure pump is mechanically driven by the engine camshaft, then the pump operation is synchronized with engine speed, but the system generates high mechanical noise and consumes excessive energy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical camshaft-driven system with an electric motor-driven system. The electric motor drives the high-pressure pump independently through a belt drive, eliminating the direct mechanical connection to the engine camshaft. This substitution reduces mechanical noise transmission to the engine structure while maintaining pump speed control capability through electronic means rather than mechanical coupling.
2Quantity of substance
If the pump displacement is matched to the highest injection quantity per stroke, then the pump can meet peak fuel demands, but the system cannot achieve highest possible efficiencies during normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a variable displacement mechanism for the high-pressure pump, allowing the pump displacement to be dynamically adjusted based on actual fuel injection demands. The control unit modifies the pump displacement in response to injection quantity requirements, enabling the system to operate at optimal efficiency during normal conditions while maintaining the capability to deliver peak fuel quantities when needed, rather than being fixed at the maximum displacement setting.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If sound insulation is added around the high-pressure pump, then noise emissions are reduced, but costs, weight, and performance are negatively affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for sound insulation by replacing the mechanical noise generation mechanism. The electric motor-driven system operates with significantly lower mechanical noise compared to the camshaft-driven system, and the noise is not transmitted to the engine structure. This substitution approach addresses the noise issue at its source rather than requiring additional sound insulation components that would increase weight and cost.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple different pump configurations are used to fulfill consumer needs, then various vehicle requirements are met, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal high-pressure pump system with variable displacement capability that can be configured through software control to meet different fuel injection requirements. Rather than manufacturing multiple physical pump variants, the system uses a single pump design that can be electronically adjusted to serve different vehicle applications, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining adaptability to various consumer needs.
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 reduces noise emissions, lowers power consumption, and simplifies the system, enabling efficient operation across different engines and driving conditions while maintaining high efficiency and durability, with the ability to selectively add water to the fuel stream based on driving situations.
Implementation Method 1
a low-pressure pump configured to mix water from a water tank of the motor vehicle with liquid fuel from a fuel tank of the motor vehicle to a liquid fuel water emulsion
Implementation Method 2
a high-pressure pump in fluid communication with the low-pressure pump and configured to compress the liquid fuel water emulsion from the low pressure to a high pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel pump for a liquid fuel water injection system of a motor vehicle is provided. The fuel pump includes a low-pressure pump that mixes water from a water tank of the motor vehicle with liquid fuel from a fuel tank of the motor vehicle to a liquid fuel water emulsion and provides the liquid fuel water emulsion at a low pressure. A high-pressure pump is in fluid communication with the low-pressure pump and compresses the liquid fuel water emulsion from the low pressure to a high pressure for injecting the liquid fuel water emulsion into an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle via an injection rail of the motor vehicle. A pump drive drives the low-pressure pump and the high-pressure pump synchronously with a pump frequency independently from an engine speed of the internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle.