Gas Supply Device for Internal Combustion Engine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas supply devices for internal combustion engines cannot generate sufficient membrane differential pressure when the engine operates in a non-supercharging range, preventing the supply of oxygen-enriched or nitrogen-enriched air to the combustion chamber.
Innovation Solution
A gas supply device equipped with an oxygen enrichment membrane module, a pump, and an electronic control unit that independently controls pressure in the system to create membrane differential pressure, allowing for oxygen or nitrogen enrichment of air, even in non-supercharging conditions, by using a rotary pump to raise or lower pressure in the system and an electronic control unit to manage valve openings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a supercharger is used to generate membrane differential pressure for gas separation, then oxygen-enriched air can be supplied to the combustion chamber, but the device cannot operate in non-supercharging range where sufficient membrane differential pressure cannot be generated
Solution Approach 1:
A pump is introduced as an intermediary device to generate the necessary membrane differential pressure across the oxygen enrichment membrane when the supercharger is not operating. The pump serves as a mediator that can create pressure differences independently of engine operating conditions, enabling the gas separation function to work during non-supercharging ranges while the supercharger handles supercharging conditions.
2Reliability
If the supercharger operates continuously to maintain membrane differential pressure, then gas separation can be maintained, but energy consumption increases during non-supercharging range
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between two pressure generation modes: the supercharger operates during supercharging ranges to provide both engine boost and membrane differential pressure, while the pump takes over during non-supercharging ranges. This dynamic operation allows the system to maintain gas separation functionality while optimizing energy consumption by using the most efficient pressure source for each operating condition.
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
Enables the efficient supply of oxygen-enriched or nitrogen-enriched air to the combustion chamber during non-supercharging engine operation, improving energy efficiency and fuel economy by generating necessary membrane differential pressure without relying on substantial pressurization or depressurization.
Implementation Method 1
The gas separation device includes a membrane structure (an oxygen enrichment membrane) that separates the atmosphere (compressed air) pressurized by a compressor of a supercharger into oxygen-enriched air and nitrogen-enriched air
Implementation Method 2
In order to separate the atmosphere into oxygen-enriched air and nitrogen-enriched air through the use of an oxygen enrichment membrane, a difference in pressure (hereinafter referred to as 'a membrane differential pressure') needs to be created between two spaces that are separated from each other by the oxygen enrichment membrane
Implementation Method 3
The pump portion is configured to raise a pressure in the second space by supplying the high-pressure atmosphere to the second space, and is configured to lower the pressure in the second space by discharging air in the second space to an outside of the housing from the second space
Data Source
AI summary
A gas supply device is equipped with an oxygen enrichment membrane module, a pump portion, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit performs oxygen enrichment control for merging the air supplied to a first space from a second space through the oxygen enrichment membrane and containing a higher concentration of oxygen than an atmosphere with the atmosphere that has flowed into the first space and supplying the merged air and atmosphere to a combustion chamber of the cylinders by driving the pump portion, and nitrogen enrichment control for discharging air containing a higher concentration of oxygen than the atmosphere to the second space from the first space through the oxygen enrichment membrane, producing air containing a higher concentration of nitrogen than the atmosphere in the first space, and supplying the air containing the higher concentration of nitrogen to the combustion chamber by driving the pump portion.