High-Pressure Fuel Pump Cooling Passage Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fuel systems that combine port fuel injection (PFI) and gasoline direct injection (GDi) face issues where the high-pressure fuel pump overheats and creates vapor when only PFI is used, leading to potential fueling hindrances due to continuous cycling and proximity to the internal combustion engine.

Innovation Solution

A fuel system design that includes a low-pressure fuel delivery unit, a high-pressure fuel delivery unit with a drive and delivery region, a cooling passage to circulate fuel through the drive region even when the high-pressure unit is not in use, and a low-pressure fuel injector supply passage to ensure lubrication and cooling, using a low-pressure fuel supply passage to maintain a fresh fuel supply to the high-pressure fuel delivery unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the high-pressure fuel pump is continuously cycled by the camshaft even when only PFI is used, then the GDi system remains ready for operation, but the high-pressure fuel pump overheats and creates vapor which hinders fueling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereadiness of GDi systemVSAvoidtemperature of high-pressure fuel pump

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling passage enables continuous fuel circulation through the high-pressure fuel pump even when only PFI is active, maintaining continuous cooling and lubrication without requiring the pump to be actively fueling. This keeps the system ready while preventing overheating.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

A dedicated cooling passage acts as an intermediary pathway that allows fuel to flow through the high-pressure fuel pump for cooling purposes separate from the main fuel delivery function. This mediator pathway enables thermal management independent of fueling demands.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the high-pressure fuel pump is continuously cycled, then the pump remains operational and ready, but fuel temperature elevates and vapor forms in the high-pressure fuel pump

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational readinessVSAvoidvapor formation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the potentially harmful continuous cycling operation into a beneficial cooling mechanism by routing fuel through the cooling passage, where the mechanical operation that would normally generate heat is instead used to drive beneficial fuel circulation for thermal management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If fuel is delivered directly to the combustion chamber at high pressure, then combustion efficiency improves, but the high-pressure fuel delivery unit requires continuous cooling and lubrication

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidthermal management of high-pressure unit

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The fuel delivery system is segmented into separate functional pathways: a cooling passage for thermal management and lubrication of the high-pressure pump, and a delivery passage for fuel injection. This segmentation allows independent optimization of cooling and fueling functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fuel serving multiple functions: it acts as both the working fluid for combustion and as a cooling/lubricating medium for the high-pressure fuel pump. The same fuel resource performs dual roles, eliminating the need for separate cooling systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 lubricates and cools the high-pressure fuel delivery unit, preventing overheating and vapor formation, even when only PFI is used, thereby ensuring reliable operation and minimizing noise and fuel quantity variations.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling passage which receives fuel from the drive region of the high-pressure fuel delivery unit... ensures that a fresh supply of fuel circulates through the drive region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

providing lubrication and cooling to the high-pressure fuel delivery unit

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLubrication: Lubrication

Data Source

PatentUS9989022B2Fuel system for an internal combustion engine and method of operating

Publication Date: 2018.06.05 PHINIA JERSEY HOLDINGS LLC

AI summary

A fuel system includes a low-pressure fuel delivery unit; a high-pressure fuel delivery unit which has a drive region and a delivery region such that the drive region supplies fuel to the delivery region and such that the delivery region supplies fuel to a high-pressure fuel injector; a low-pressure fuel supply passage which supplies fuel from the low-pressure fuel delivery unit to the drive region of the high-pressure fuel delivery unit; a cooling passage which receives fuel from the drive region of the high-pressure fuel delivery unit; and a low-pressure fuel injector supply passage which is in direct fluid communication with the low-pressure fuel supply passage and which supplies fuel to a low-pressure fuel injector from the cooling passage.