Diesel Fuel Injection Seat Spalling Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional fuel injection devices for diesel engines experience premature wear and spalling due to high impact forces, particularly at the seat portions of the nozzle body and needle valve, leading to reduced durability and shortened lifespan.

Innovation Solution

The use of nitrided alloy steel for both the nozzle body and needle valve, where the brittle compound layer and first diffusion layer are removed to expose the tougher, low-nitrogen second diffusion layer as the seating surface, enhancing durability against impact fatigue through a novel etching technique.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional materials (SKH51 for needle valve, SNCM420 or SKD61 for nozzle body) are used with surface hardening treatment, then wear resistance is improved, but spalling occurs due to shear stress concentration at carbide boundaries

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidresistance to spalling
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the material parameters by using a specific alloy steel composition (C: 0.35-0.45%, Si: 2.0-3.5%, Mn: 0.50-1.00%, Cr: 1.00-2.00%, Mo: 0.10-0.30%, B: 0.0005-0.0050%) and controlling the carbide precipitate size to 0.5-2.0μm through heat treatment, thereby reducing shear stress concentration and preventing spalling while maintaining wear resistance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite microstructure consisting of tempered martensite base material with fine distributed carbide precipitates (MC, M6C, Cr23C6, Mo2C), where the carbides are controlled to be small and rounded rather than large and angular, reducing stress concentration and preventing spalling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If quenching temperature is increased or holding time is extended to improve carbide distribution, then wear resistance improves, but carbides become angular and coarse, increasing spalling risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidcarbide morphology
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The invention optimizes the quenching temperature range (550-650°C) and holding time (1-3 hours) to achieve the right balance: carbides become fine (0.5-2.0μm) and rounded, maintaining wear resistance while preventing angularization and coarsening that would cause spalling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Power

If higher injection pressure is used to improve engine performance, then power output increases, but impact force on seat portions increases, accelerating wear and spalling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinjection pressureVSAvoidimpact force on seat portions
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the material properties by controlling carbide size and distribution, creating a microstructure that can withstand higher impact forces from high injection pressures without suffering wear or spalling, thereby enabling higher power output with improved durability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 significantly improves wear resistance and fatigue resistance, reduces frictional forces, and prevents spalling, thereby extending the operational life of the fuel injection device and maintaining engine performance over a longer period.

Implementation Method 1

a portion serving as a seat portion of a nozzle body and a portion serving as a seat portion of a needle valve are formed by a nitrided alloy steel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNitriding: Nitriding

Data Source

PatentEP2146087B1Fuel injection device for diesel engine, method for manufacturing the same, and valve unit
Publication Date: 2012.12.12 NICO PRECISION CO
  • EP2146087B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2146087B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP2146087B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Wear and spalling are to be prevented at seat portions of a fuel injection device for a diesel engine. In a fuel injection device for a diesel engine wherein a needle valve is moved in the inside of a nozzle body to which fuel is supplied, to open or close seat faces through which the nozzle body and the needle valve come into contact with each other, thereby controlling injection of fuel from nozzle holes opening to the nozzle body, the portion serving as the seat portion of the nozzle body and the portion serving as the seat portion of the needle valve are formed of a nitrided alloy steel, and a compound layer and a first layer in a diffusion layer are removed from a surface of each of the seat portions. Since a second layer having high toughness serves as a seat face, both wear resistance and fatigue resistance are improved and particularly it is possible to prevent spalling of the seat portion of the nozzle body.