Internal Combustion Engine Intake Air Humidity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines face issues with water condensation in the intake valve area, leading to mechanical damage and misfires due to the increased pressure and humidity of intake air, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed.
Innovation Solution
A method that determines the air humidity of intake air and adjusts the temperature of compressed air before it enters the combustion chamber, preventing condensation by increasing the temperature when humidity is high and reducing output power if humidity exceeds a certain threshold, using a humidity sensor and control device to regulate the temperature and pressure of the compressed air.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the intake air is compressed to significantly increase pressure, then the power output is improved, but water condensation occurs in the intake valve area causing mechanical damage and misfires
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the temperature of the compressed air based on the humidity of the intake air. When high humidity is detected, the system increases the compressed air temperature to prevent condensation, while maintaining the beneficial high pressure for power output. This resolves the contradiction by changing the temperature parameter to eliminate condensation damage while preserving the pressure-related power benefits.
2Reliability
If the temperature of compressed air is increased to prevent condensation, then mechanical damage and misfires are reduced, but the power output must be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the compressed air temperature adjustable and controllable based on real-time humidity measurements. Rather than using a fixed high temperature that always prevents condensation but always reduces power, the system dynamically adapts the temperature only when high humidity conditions are detected, thereby minimizing the impact on power output while maintaining reliability when needed.
3Reliability
If a humidity sensor and control device are added to regulate compressed air temperature, then condensation is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by using a humidity sensor to continuously monitor the intake air humidity and feeding this information to a control device that adjusts the compressed air temperature accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system automatically prevents condensation only when necessary, rather than requiring complex continuous temperature control systems, thereby achieving reliability improvement with minimized additional complexity.
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 reduces mechanical damage and misfires by preventing water condensation, maintaining engine performance and reducing NOx emissions by controlling the temperature and pressure of the compressed air, ensuring consistent operating conditions and power output.
Implementation Method 1
air and propellant gas are sucked in and then compressed. The pressure of the intake air is significantly increased.
Implementation Method 2
The intake air is compressed in the compression device of the internal combustion engine, then possibly cooled with a cooling device
Implementation Method 3
Water often condenses around the intake valve area, causing damage to the mechanical components it comes into contact with. In addition, the condensate causes misfires
Implementation Method 4
the temperature of the compressed air supplied to the combustion chamber changes as a function of the air humidity of the intake air. When the air humidity in the intake air is higher, the temperature of the compressed air to be supplied to the combustion chamber is increased
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine, wherein air is inducted and then compressed, before introduction into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, the air humidity of the inducted air is determined and temperature of the compressed air introduced into the combustion chamber is altered depending on the air humidity of the inducted air.