Engine Fuel Reforming Device Suppresses Knocking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Premixed compression ignition engines face challenges in suppressing knocking or accidental fires due to fluctuations in EGR gas temperature and composition, making it difficult to control combustion effectively.

Innovation Solution

The engine incorporates a fuel reforming device connected to the intake and EGR pipes, with a reforming cylinder that adiabatically compresses a mixture of intake air and EGR gas, and a primary fuel injection device that injects fuel at specific strokes, assisted by an auxiliary fuel injection device, to uniformly mix fuel with intake air and control temperature, thereby reforming fuel into lower hydrocarbon fuel.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If EGR gas is mixed with intake air at predetermined timing to suppress knocking or accidental fire, then combustion control is improved, but the effectiveness is insufficient due to fluctuations in EGR gas temperature and composition

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion control stabilityVSAvoidEGR gas temperature and composition consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the temperature parameter of EGR gas by introducing a cooling mechanism. The EGR gas is cooled before being mixed with intake air, which stabilizes the temperature and composition of the mixture. This parameter change ensures consistent combustion control effectiveness regardless of fluctuations in original EGR gas conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces cooled EGR gas as an intermediary substance between the original hot EGR gas and the intake air. By cooling the EGR gas first, it serves as a stable mediator that consistently suppresses knocking and accidental fire without being affected by temperature fluctuations in the original exhaust gas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If fuel is uniformly and leanly mixed with intake air for premixed compression ignition, then combustion efficiency is improved, but knocking or accidental fire occurs due to variations in operational conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidknocking and accidental fire
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by cooling the EGR gas before it mixes with the fuel-intake air mixture. This pre-cooling action counteracts the potential harmful effect of hot EGR gas causing knocking or accidental fire, allowing the fuel to be uniformly and leanly mixed without risking combustion instability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful hot EGR gas into a beneficial cooled medium. By cooling the EGR gas, it transforms from a source of knocking and accidental fire into a effective suppressor of these phenomena, while still maintaining its role in combustion control and efficiency enhancement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If EGR ratio is increased to suppress knocking, then combustion stability is improved, but additional cooling capacity is required to manage EGR gas heat

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion stabilityVSAvoidEGR gas heat management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the EGR gas flow path to include a dedicated cooling section. By separating the cooling function from the mixing function, the system can handle higher EGR ratios effectively. The EGR gas is cooled in a distinct stage before being introduced to the intake air-fuel mixture, managing the heat load systematically.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary cooling of EGR gas before it enters the mixing stage with intake air and fuel. This preliminary action removes excess heat from the EGR gas in advance, enabling higher EGR ratios to be used for improved combustion stability without overwhelming the system with thermal energy that could cause knocking or require excessive cooling capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 effectively suppresses knocking and accidental fires by uniformly mixing EGR gas with fuel, cooling the reforming fuel, and ensuring efficient fuel reforming, allowing for stable premixed compression self-ignition operations.

Implementation Method 1

a reforming cylinder that adiabatically compresses a mixture of intake air and EGR gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdiabatic compression: Adiabatic Heating

Implementation Method 2

a reforming fuel intercooler configured to cool the mixture discharged from the fuel reforming device is provided in the exhaust pipe

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCooling: Cooling

Data Source

PatentEP2947299B1engine
Publication Date: 2022.08.31 YANMAR POWER TECH CO LTD
  • EP2947299B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2947299B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2947299B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Provided is an engine with which knocking and misfiring can be suppressed and which is capable of operation by means of premixed compression self-ignition. This engine (1) is equipped with a reforming air cylinder (16), which is a fuel reforming device. An intake pipe (12) and an EGR pipe (27) are connected to the reforming air cylinder (16) via a supply pipe (25), and the reforming air cylinder is provided with a primary fuel injection device (20), which is connected to the intake pipe (12) via an exhaust pipe (28), and injects fuel into the mixed gas of intake air and exhaust air supplied to the reforming air cylinder (16) through the supply pipe (25).