Engine Oil Siphon Reservoir Design for Rapid Startup Lubrication
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing oil supply circuits for internal combustion engines face challenges in maintaining adequate oil pressure during engine startup, particularly when the engine is switched off, leading to delays in oil delivery to critical components due to gravity-driven drainage and pressure losses, which can be exacerbated by the malfunction of check valves.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a sealed oil circuit with a siphon system acting as an oil retention reservoir, positioned between the rising and main oil lines, which retains oil when the engine is off, ensuring continuous oil supply to engine components without interruptions during startup, thereby minimizing pressure drops and delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If check valves are used in the oil circuit to prevent emptying of oil lines, then oil retention is improved, but pressure loss increases and reliability decreases due to potential malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes check valves from the oil circuit system entirely. Instead of using active components to prevent oil drainage, the system relies on passive geometric design of the oil lines and reservoir configuration to maintain oil presence in the lines without requiring valving mechanisms that can fail or create pressure losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a reservoir positioned at a lower elevation as an intermediary element. This reservoir acts as a passive mediator that uses gravity and capillary action to maintain oil presence in the rising lines without requiring active control or check valves, thereby improving reliability while preventing oil line emptying.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the engine is switched off during start-stop strategy, then fuel consumption is reduced, but oil pressure drops abruptly causing delayed oil supply to components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent configures the oil circuit with a reservoir at lower elevation that passively maintains oil presence in the rising lines and cylinder head during engine shutdown. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the engine restarts, oil is already positioned in the lines, eliminating supply delay while enabling frequent start-stop operation for fuel savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses gravitational potential energy by positioning the reservoir at a lower elevation than the cylinder head and rising lines. This elevation difference creates a passive oil retention mechanism that maintains oil in the lines without requiring active pumping or pressure control during idle shutdown periods.
3Reliability
If oil lines are positioned at higher points in the cylinder head, then component lubrication is improved, but oil drainage and refilling time increase during engine shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a lower-elevation reservoir as an intermediary that passively maintains oil presence in higher-positioned lines through gravitational and capillary effects. This allows the rising lines and cylinder head to remain at optimal heights for component lubrication while the reservoir prevents complete oil drainage during shutdown, reducing refilling time on restart.
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 configuration ensures reliable and timely oil delivery to engine components upon startup, improving engine performance by maintaining oil pressure and reducing the risk of component malfunction due to oil drainage, without the need for check valves, thus enhancing engine responsiveness and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the oil pressure in the oil circuit may fall abruptly, and the oil in the circuit may drain via gravity through a return oil line to oil pan
Implementation Method 2
an oil siphon system including a reservoir positioned between, and having at least one portion at a lower elevation than both, a section of the rising line and a section of the main oil line so that oil flows into, and remains in the reservoir when the engine is shut-off
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for an internal combustion engine having an oil circuit. In one example, a system may include a rising oil line from a block to a cylinder head of an engine; a main oil line in the head; and an oil siphon system including a reservoir positioned between, and having at least one portion at a lower elevation than both, a section the rising line and a section of the main oil line so that oil flows into, and remains in, the reservoir when the engine is shut-off. In this way, the design of the oil circuit may be used to improve oil supply to engine components while minimizing delays in oil supply during engine startup.