Double-acting Pump Water Injection Device for Space-Constrained Engines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water injection devices for internal combustion engines face challenges in storing sufficient water without occupying excessive installation space, as they require large tanks to ensure continuous water supply, but this is often not feasible due to space constraints in vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A water injection device with two tanks and a single double-acting pump, where the pump can operate in both directions, allowing water to be efficiently transferred between tanks, and a control unit manages the flow based on engine state to optimize water usage and storage, reducing the need for multiple filler necks and minimizing installation space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a large water tank is used to ensure continuous water supply, then water storage capacity is improved, but installation space requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water storage system is divided into multiple separate tanks instead of using a single large tank. This segmentation allows the total water storage capacity to be maintained while distributing the space requirement across multiple smaller tanks, which can be installed in different locations within the vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical stacking arrangement of tanks, utilizing the vertical dimension rather than only horizontal space. By stacking tanks vertically, the system achieves high water storage capacity without occupying excessive horizontal installation space, effectively solving the space constraint problem.
2Reliability
If multiple pumps are used to manage multiple tanks, then water supply reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single pump is designed to perform multiple functions: it can pump water from any of the multiple tanks to the water injector, and it can also transfer water between tanks. This multi-functional pump eliminates the need for separate pumps for each tank, maintaining water supply reliability while reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A control unit acts as an intermediary that manages the pump's operation to select which tank should supply water to the water injector at any given time. This intelligent control system enables reliable water supply from multiple tanks using a single pump, avoiding the need for multiple pumps while ensuring continuous water availability.
3Ease of operation
If multiple filler necks are provided for multiple tanks, then ease of refilling is improved, but installation space increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple filler necks are merged into a single common filler neck that can refill all tanks. This consolidation reduces the number of filler necks from multiple to one, significantly reducing the installation space required while maintaining the ease of refilling operation through a single access point.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service refilling where a single filler neck allows the user to refill water into the tank network without needing to access multiple separate filler necks. The control unit manages the refilling process, directing water to the appropriate tank, thus maintaining ease of operation while minimizing space requirements.
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 configuration allows for a larger water storage capacity within limited structural complexity, reducing costs and simplifying control while ensuring continuous water supply to the engine, with the option to use condensate from the air conditioning system for refilling, thus eliminating the need for multiple filler necks.
Implementation Method 1
exactly one pump is provided, which is arranged in the first water line. This single pump is designed as a double-acting pump. That is, the pump can be operated in two directions and can thus reverse the direction of delivery.
Data Source
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present invention relates to a water injection device (1) of an internal combustion engine, comprising: at least one first water injector (2) for injecting water, a first tank (3) for storing water, a second tank (4) for storing water, a first water line (11) from the first tank (3) to the water injector (2), a second water line (12) from the second tank (4) to the water line (11), and exactly one single pump (5) which is arranged in the first water line (11), wherein the single pump (5) is designed as a double-acting pump which can pump in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction.