Internal Combustion Engine Oil Mist Recovery via Vacuum Pump Collision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines face challenges in collecting oil mist discharged from vacuum pumps due to its small particle diameter, which makes it difficult to separate and recover efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The engine design includes a configuration where the oil mist discharged from the vacuum pump collides with oil mist formed by oil dispersed by the high-pressure pump, increasing its particle diameter and facilitating collection, and also utilizes a blow-by gas flow path to further enhance oil mist collision and liquefaction within the engine's structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If oil separation device is used to separate oil mist from vacuum pump discharge, then oil recovery is attempted, but the small particle diameter of the oil mist makes it impossible to collect effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state parameters of the oil mist by introducing it to a heated environment within the engine compartment. The heat causes the oil mist particles to coalesce and grow in size, transforming them from a state that cannot be collected to a state that can be effectively separated and recovered by the oil separation device.
Solution Approach 2:
The engine compartment acts as an intermediary medium between the vacuum pump discharge and the oil separation device. By routing the oil mist through the engine compartment where it encounters heat and existing oil vapors, the system uses this intermediate environment to facilitate particle growth before final separation.
2Productivity
If oil mist is discharged all at once from vacuum pump outlet with pressurized air, then discharge efficiency is high, but oil mist particle diameter becomes significantly small and cannot be collected
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of high-velocity discharge (which creates fine, uncollectible particles) into a beneficial process. The kinetic energy of the pressurized air discharge is used to distribute oil mist throughout the engine compartment, where it then undergoes thermal processing that grows the particles to collectable sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The oil mist undergoes phase transitions as it moves from a cold, fine-particle state upon discharge to a warmer state within the engine compartment. This thermal phase change causes the oil particles to coalesce and transition from a gaseous/aerosol state to larger droplets that can be condensed and collected.
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 design effectively increases the particle diameter of the oil mist, making it easier to collect and recover, while promoting the liquefaction of oil, thereby improving oil recovery efficiency within the engine.
Implementation Method 1
the cam rotates. The vacuum pump includes an inlet and an outlet. The vacuum pump is configured to draw in air from the inlet and discharge an oil mist with air from the outlet
Implementation Method 2
oil that has lubricated abutting portions of the cam and the plunger collides with an inside wall of the head cover
Implementation Method 3
the oil mist with a small particle diameter that is discharged together with air from the outlet of the vacuum pump is discharged toward a space where the oil mist formed by the oil dispersed by the cam stagnates. As a result, the oil mist having a small particle diameter collides with the oil mist having a large particle diameter
Implementation Method 4
the particle diameter of the oil mist having a small particle diameter becomes larger
Implementation Method 5
the oil mist and air discharged from the vacuum pump collide with the oil mist formed by the oil dispersed by the cam, so liquefaction of the oil dispersed by the cam is promoted
Data Source
AI summary
An internal combustion engine includes a camshaft, a cylinder head, a head cover, a high-pressure pump, and a vacuum pump. The high-pressure pump includes a plunger that abuts against a cam provided on the camshaft. The high-pressure pump is configured to be driven by rotation of the cam such that oil that has lubricated abutting portions of the cam and the plunger collides with an inside wall of the head cover. The vacuum pump is mounted to the cylinder head. The vacuum pump is configured to draw in air from an inlet and discharge an oil mist with air from an outlet. The outlet is arranged such that the oil mist with air from the outlet is discharged into a space where an oil mist formed by a spray of oil that has collided with the inside wall of the head cover stagnates.