Engine Oil Heating via Exhaust Waste Heat Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines face high fuel consumption and friction losses due to the viscosity of engine oil, particularly after a cold start, which is not efficiently addressed by existing heating methods that often require additional components and consume electrical energy.
Innovation Solution
The engine oil is routed through the cylinder head and block, with a supply duct optimized as a heat exchanger to quickly heat the oil, reducing viscosity and friction, and integrated with a liquid-cooled cylinder head and exhaust manifold to enhance heat transfer and reduce thermal inertia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If engine oil is heated using additional heating components, then the oil temperature increases and viscosity decreases, but the device complexity increases and electrical energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The engine oil is heated by the waste heat from the exhaust gases flowing through the cylinder head, allowing the system to heat the oil without external heating components or electrical energy input. The exhaust gases naturally flowing through the cylinder head transfer heat to the oil supply duct, making the heating process self-service and eliminating the need for additional heating devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The high temperature exhaust gases, which represent waste heat and energy loss, are converted into a useful heating source for the engine oil. By routing the oil supply duct through or near the exhaust manifold and cylinder head, the waste heat from exhaust gases is captured and used to reduce oil viscosity and friction, transforming a harmful energy loss into a beneficial heating effect.
2Loss of energy
If engine oil is heated quickly after cold start, then friction losses decrease, but additional heating components and electrical energy are required
Solution Approach 1:
The waste heat from exhaust gases is converted into a useful heating source for engine oil during cold start. By routing the oil supply duct through the cylinder head and exhaust manifold area, the system captures waste heat that would otherwise be lost, using it to quickly reduce oil viscosity and friction losses without requiring electrical energy input.
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust gas flow through the cylinder head and exhaust manifold automatically heats the engine oil as it flows through the supply duct, eliminating the need for external heating systems or electrical energy consumption. The system uses its own operational byproducts (exhaust gases) to perform the heating function.
3Loss of energy
If oil flows directly to bearings without heating, then the system is simple, but friction losses remain high due to high viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The oil supply duct is merged with or routed through the exhaust manifold and cylinder head structure, combining the oil delivery function with the exhaust gas flow path. This integration allows heat transfer from exhaust gases to oil without requiring separate heating components, reducing device complexity while still achieving friction reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The cylinder head and exhaust manifold structure serve as an intermediary heat transfer medium between the hot exhaust gases and the engine oil. The oil supply duct is positioned to maximize thermal contact with these hot structures, using them as passive heat exchangers to reduce oil viscosity before oil reaches the bearings.
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 fuel consumption and friction losses by rapidly heating the engine oil after a cold start, minimizing the need for additional components and electrical energy consumption, while preventing oil overheating and degradation.
Implementation Method 1
a supply duct (2) optimized as a heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
The engine oil is routed through the cylinder head and block, with a supply duct optimized as a heat exchanger to quickly heat the oil
Implementation Method 3
integrated with a liquid-cooled cylinder head and exhaust manifold to enhance heat transfer
Implementation Method 4
integrated with a liquid-cooled cylinder head and exhaust manifold to enhance heat transfer
Implementation Method 5
The engine oil is routed through the cylinder head and block
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to an internal combustion engine having a cylinder head and cylinder block serving as an upper crankcase portion for holding a crankshaft in multiple bearings. The engine has an oil pump for feeding engine oil to the cylinder head prior to supplying the multiple bearings in the cylinder block.