Exhaust-Driven Water Heating for Internal Combustion Engine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing internal combustion engine water feeding systems require an efficient and cost-effective heating device to prevent freezing and maintain the quality of demineralized water, while minimizing energy consumption and preventing microbial proliferation.
Innovation Solution
A heating device integrated with the water feeding system, utilizing a heat exchanger coupled to the exhaust duct and a control unit to regulate temperature, ensuring efficient heat transfer from exhaust gases to the water, and incorporating a temperature sensor to prevent overheating and microbial growth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an electric heating device is used to prevent water freezing, then the water can be kept from freezing, but energy consumption increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the waste heat from exhaust gases, which would otherwise be discharged into the environment, into a useful heating source for preventing water freezing in the tank. This resolves the contradiction by eliminating the need for additional energy input while maintaining freezing protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own exhaust gases to heat the water in the tank, making the vehicle self-sufficient for heating purposes. The exhaust gases that would be wasted now serve the dual purpose of propulsion residue and heating source, eliminating the need for separate heating systems.
2Reliability
If a heating device is added to prevent freezing, then water freezing is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is merged with the existing exhaust system by integrating a heat exchanger into the exhaust duct. This combines two functions (exhaust discharge and water heating) into a single integrated system, avoiding the need for a separate heating device and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust duct is given a dual function: it continues to discharge exhaust gases while simultaneously serving as a heating source for the water tank. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated heating components, simplifying the overall system.
3Reliability
If water temperature is increased to prevent microbial proliferation, then microbial growth is reduced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The waste heat from exhaust gases is utilized to maintain water temperature at levels that prevent microbial proliferation. This converts otherwise wasted thermal energy into a sanitizing function, reducing microbial contamination without requiring additional energy input.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating action continues as long as the engine is running and producing exhaust gases, continuously maintaining water temperature to prevent microbial growth without requiring intermittent or additional energy input.
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
The system effectively prevents water freezing, maintains optimal water temperature, reduces microbial contamination, and enhances the efficiency of the internal combustion engine by utilizing waste heat from exhaust gases, while being simple and economical to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger (15), connected to said outlet opening (14) and to said tank (4) by means of a feeding duct (16)
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a heat exchanger coupled to the exhaust duct and a control unit to regulate temperature, ensuring efficient heat transfer from exhaust gases to the water
Implementation Method 3
enhances the efficiency of the internal combustion engine by utilizing waste heat from exhaust gases
Implementation Method 4
The tank (4) is generally provided with an electric heating device (9), which is used to melt possible ice when the temperature on the outside is particularly low
Data Source
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AI summary
An internal combustion engine (2) which comprises at least one cylinder provided with a combustion chamber, in which, following the combustion, exhaust gases (11) are generated; an exhaust duct (3), which is flown through by the exhaust gases (11); and a water-based operating liquid system (1) which includes a tank (4), which is designed to contain a quantity of water-based operating liquid, and a heating device (9), which is coupled to the tank (4) and is designed to heat the water-based operating liquid. In particular, the heating device (9) comprises a heating chamber (12), which surrounds a portion of the exhaust duct (3), comprises an inlet opening (13) designed to receive air from the outside, is configured to allow heat to be transferred from the walls of the exhaust duct (3) to the air received from the outside and comprises an outlet opening (14) for the heated air; and a heat exchanger (15), which receives the heated air and is thermally coupled to the tank (4) so as to release part of the heat owned by the heated air to the water-based operating liquid (10) contained in the tank (4).