Liquefied Gas Vaporizer Control for Cold-Start Stall Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In working machines using liquefied gas as fuel, vaporization capability decreases during cold starts, leading to prime mover stalling, and existing methods fail to accurately monitor remaining fuel levels, resulting in wasteful fuel replacement.
Innovation Solution
A system with a controller that adjusts fuel flow and rotation speed based on vaporizer temperature and includes a sensor to detect remaining fuel in a reserve tank, providing graduated notifications to the operator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the vaporizer uses cooling water heat for vaporization, then energy utilization is improved, but during cold starts the vaporizer temperature drops below vaporization point causing prime mover stalling
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary action by detecting low vaporizer temperature before vaporization failure occurs and proactively increases fuel flow rate restriction during cold starts, preventing the prime mover from stalling due to insufficient vaporization
2Ease of operation
If fuel cylinder replacement is performed when reserve tank liquid level drops, then fuel monitoring is simplified, but fuel is replaced while still sufficient leading to waste
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit implements feedback by continuously monitoring the liquid level sensor output and dynamically adjusting the notification timing based on actual fuel consumption patterns, allowing operators to replace fuel cylinders based on real-time fuel status rather than fixed liquid level thresholds, thereby minimizing fuel waste
3Measurement precision
If the reserve tank liquid level detection method is used, then fuel amount monitoring is enabled, but subsequent changes in remaining fuel amount cannot be grasped
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit provides continuous feedback about fuel status by monitoring liquid level changes over time and providing notifications that reflect actual fuel consumption patterns, enabling operators to grasp both current fuel levels and consumption trends throughout the fuel cylinder usage period
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
Prevents prime mover stalling during cold starts and allows efficient use of remaining fuel, enabling timely replacement of the fuel cylinder.
Implementation Method 1
The vaporizer vaporizes the fuel with the heat of cooling water for the prime mover
Implementation Method 2
The vaporizer vaporizes the fuel with the heat of cooling water for the prime mover
Implementation Method 3
a temperature detector that detects a temperature correlating with a decrease in temperature of the vaporizer
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
There is provided a working machine (1) in which a prime mover (4) can be prevented from stalling during a cold start. The working machine (1) includes: a machine body(2); the prime mover (4) that is mounted on the machine body (2); a fuel cylinder (130) that contains a fuel; a vaporizer (39) that vaporizes the fuel sent from the fuel cylinder (130) and supplies the fuel to the prime mover (4); a temperature detector (44) that detects a temperature correlating with a decrease in the temperature of the vaporizer (39); and a controller (47) that imposes restraint on the flow rate of the fuel flowing from the vaporizer (39) to the prime mover (4) when the temperature detected by the temperature detector (44) is lower than or equal to a first temperature.