Fuel Injector Adsorbent for Alcohol Blended Fuel Cold Start
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blended fuels with high alcohol concentrations, such as E80, pose challenges in vaporization during cold starting of internal combustion engines, leading to poor startability and increased HC emissions due to the difficulty in vaporizing the alcohol component, and existing solutions require complex and costly dual fuel supply systems.
Innovation Solution
A fuel injection apparatus with a fuel injector equipped with an adsorbent that selectively adsorbs alcohol components, allowing for pressure-controlled fuel injection to reduce alcohol concentration, enabling split injection and timely fuel delivery, thereby reducing alcohol emission and improving startability without the need for separate fuel injectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a blended fuel with high alcohol concentration (e.g., E80) is used, then the fuel can be used as a renewable energy source, but the fuel becomes extremely difficult to vaporize at temperatures lower than the boiling point of alcohol, leading to poor startability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fuel injection process into multiple injections within a single cycle. The fuel injection apparatus performs first injection, second injection, and third injection at different timing and with different amounts, allowing the alcohol component to be gradually introduced and vaporized, improving cold startability while maintaining blended fuel usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by injecting a first amount of fuel before the main injection. This preliminary injection provides initial combustion that heats the combustion chamber, creating favorable conditions for subsequent alcohol vaporization and combustion, thereby improving startability.
2Reliability
If a large amount of fuel is injected at starting to compensate for insufficient vaporized fuel, then startability may be improved, but the amount of HC discharged into the atmosphere becomes extremely large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic action by dividing the fuel injection into multiple discrete injections (first, second, third injections) rather than a single continuous injection. This periodic injection pattern allows for better control of fuel vaporization and combustion, reducing unburned HC emissions while maintaining startability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by varying the injection amount and timing for different injection events. The first injection uses a smaller amount to initiate combustion, while subsequent injections use larger amounts as the combustion chamber temperature increases, optimizing both startability and emission control.
3Reliability
If two separate fuel supply systems are used to solve the vaporization problem, then the alcohol concentration of injected fuel can be controlled, but the cost, weight, and space requirements are substantially doubled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making a single fuel injection apparatus capable of performing multiple functions: it can control alcohol concentration in injected fuel through split injection while also managing startability and emissions. This eliminates the need for separate fuel supply systems for different fuel types or concentrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses dynamics by making the fuel injection system adaptable and adjustable. The control unit dynamically adjusts injection timing and amounts based on operating conditions (temperature, load, etc.), allowing one system to replace multiple fixed systems while maintaining the ability to control alcohol concentration.
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 apparatus effectively reduces alcohol concentration in fuel injected during cold starting, improving engine startability and reducing HC emissions by ensuring proper fuel pressure control and split injection, while simplifying the fuel supply system to reduce costs and weight.
Implementation Method 1
an adsorbent disposed in the internal space, the adsorbent being capable of selectively adsorbing an alcohol component in the blended fuel
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel injection apparatus includes: an adsorbent disposed in an internal space of a leading end portion of a fuel injector, the adsorbent being capable of selectively adsorbing an alcohol component in the blended fuel of gasoline and alcohol; fuel pressure controller capable of achieving states in which a pressure of fuel to be supplied to the fuel injector is set to a low or high pressure range having a small or large adsorbed amount of alcohol on the adsorbent; and split injection controller that makes the fuel injector inject fuel for one cycle in a plurality of times, when the pressure of fuel to be supplied to the fuel injector is set to the high pressure range.