Engine Air Intake Housing for Cool Air and Liquid Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicles and transport equipment face challenges in reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot emissions, which are exacerbated by high intake air temperatures. Current air intake systems often draw hot air from the engine compartment, leading to increased emissions and failing to effectively restrict the flow of liquid towards the engine.
Innovation Solution
An air intake device with a housing that includes an inlet, a first outlet for directing ambient air towards the engine, and a second outlet for collecting and directing liquid away from the engine. The device features a separator wall to restrict liquid flow towards the engine while allowing ambient air to pass, and a downward sloping bottom side to collect liquid, which is then directed out via the second outlet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the air intake device uses a separator wall to restrict liquid flow, then liquid protection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air intake device is segmented into distinct functional zones using a separator wall that divides the housing into a first region for air intake and a second region for liquid drainage. This segmentation allows liquid and air flows to be independently managed, preventing liquid from reaching the engine while maintaining relatively simple individual components rather than a complex integrated system.
2Ease of operation
If the air intake device draws air from the engine compartment, then ease of operation is improved, but harmful factors increase due to high temperature air
Solution Approach 1:
The air intake device extracts cool ambient air from the external environment rather than drawing hot air from the engine compartment. The housing with inlet and outlet ports is positioned to capture ambient air, which then flows through the separator wall structure to reach the engine, effectively separating the air intake source from the hot engine environment and reducing intake air temperature.
3Manufacturing precision
If the housing includes multiple outlets and a separator wall, then liquid separation is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separator wall extends vertically within the housing to create distinct upper and lower regions, with the first outlet positioned in the upper region for air and the second outlet in the lower region for liquid. This vertical dimensional arrangement achieves effective liquid-air separation through gravity-driven flow paths while maintaining a compact housing structure that is relatively simple to manufacture using standard molding or fabrication techniques.
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
The air intake device effectively directs cool ambient air towards the engine while preventing liquid from reaching the engine, thereby reducing NOx and soot emissions and improving overall air quality. This solution addresses the issue of high intake air temperatures and liquid ingress, enhancing compliance with emission standards.
Implementation Method 1
a bottom side of the housing has a downward slope of a predefined gradient that enables the device to collect the entered or separated liquid
Implementation Method 2
the device comprises a separator wall of a predefined height configured within the housing, wherein the separator wall is configured to restrict flow of the entered liquid toward the first inlet or the engine, while allowing the ambient air to flow, above the separator wall
Implementation Method 3
The top end of the separator wall has a curved member with opposite edges of the curved member extending in a downward direction, wherein the curved member is configured to restrict, by a bottom side of the curved member, mixing or interaction of the collected water with the ambient air on either side of the separator wall while the ambient air flows from the inlet towards the first outlet, facilitate separation of the liquid, from the ambient air, flowing along with the ambient air towards the first outlet, direct, by an upper surface of the curved member, the separated liquid towards the bottom side of the housing
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is an air intake device for an engine of a vehicle equipped with a transport refrigeration unit (TRU). The device comprises a housing defining a shape of the device. The device is adapted to be fixedly or removably configured at a predetermined position in the vehicle, the TRU, a container or chassis associated with the vehicle, or a trailer associated with the vehicle such that the device facilitates inflow of ambient air therewithin and directs the ambient air towards the engine.