Gaseous-Fuel Engine Pressure Relief for Shutdown Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing internal combustion engines for gaseous fuels face challenges in maintaining a permanent seal without excessive technical effort, particularly when not in use, due to the difficulty in sealing supply lines that contain pressurized fuel, which is environmentally hazardous if released.
Innovation Solution
The engine incorporates a pressure relief line with a switchable drain valve to reduce pressure in the supply line after shutdown, using a non-return valve to prevent backflow and a controllable tank valve to isolate the supply line from the gas tank, ensuring easy sealing and safe discharge of residual fuel into the exhaust or fresh air systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the supply line is kept permanently sealed to prevent gaseous fuel escape, then safety and environmental protection are improved, but the sealing complexity and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the pressure state of the supply line based on operational status. During operation, the supply line remains pressurized for proper fuel delivery. During shutdown, the pressure is actively reduced via the pressure relief line, transforming the sealing requirement from permanent high-pressure sealing to temporary low-pressure sealing, thereby reducing overall sealing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter of the gaseous fuel in the supply line from high pressure (during operation) to low/ambient pressure (during shutdown). This parameter change allows the system to maintain sealing reliability without requiring complex high-pressure sealing mechanisms, as the reduced pressure minimizes leakage risks and simplifies sealing requirements.
2Device complexity
If the supply line is relieved of pressure after shutdown to reduce sealing requirements, then sealing complexity is reduced, but gaseous fuel may escape to the environment creating environmental and safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure relief line acts as an intermediary channel between the supply line and the environment. Instead of allowing direct escape of gaseous fuel to the environment, the system uses this controlled intermediary path to safely discharge residual fuel. The switchable drain valve controls this intermediary channel, ensuring fuel is released in a controlled manner rather than uncontrolled leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of residual pressurized fuel in the supply line into a beneficial process. By using the pressure relief line with controlled valve opening, the residual fuel that would otherwise be a leakage risk is systematically discharged in a controlled fashion, transforming a safety hazard into a controlled venting process that protects the environment.
3Ease of operation
If a switchable drain valve and pressure relief line are added to the system, then controlled fuel discharge and sealing simplicity are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure relief line and drain valve system serves multiple functions: (1) reducing pressure in the supply line during shutdown, (2) enabling easy sealing during storage, (3) safely discharging residual fuel to the environment, and (4) preventing backflow into the supply line. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by consolidating multiple requirements into a single integrated system.
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 maintains a sealed system with reduced sealing complexity and safety by safely disposing of residual fuel, preventing environmental leakage and ensuring effective combustion or oxidation even in power interruptions.
Implementation Method 1
The exhaust gases are discharged to the outside via an exhaust gas catalytic converter, where nitrogen oxides in particular, but also unburned hydrogen, are broken down.
Implementation Method 2
the gaseous fuel is discharged via the pressure relief line, thus reducing the pressure
Implementation Method 3
a non-return valve is arranged in the pressure relief line, which blocks a backflow of gas through the pressure relief line into the supply line
Implementation Method 4
a controllable tank valve is arranged between the gas tank and the supply line, with which the supply line can be disconnected from the gas tank
Implementation Method 5
a combustion chamber in which gaseous fuel is burned to generate mechanical energy
Data Source
AI summary
Internal combustion engine for gaseous fuels having a combustion chamber (2) in which gaseous fuel is burned. The gaseous fuel is kept at an operating pressure in a gas tank (7) and fed to the combustion chamber (2) via a supply line (6). The combustion chamber (2) is connected to a fresh air line (10) through which ambient air is fed to the combustion chamber (2). The exhaust gas from the combustion chamber (2) is fed to an exhaust gas catalytic converter (14) via an exhaust pipe (13). A pressure relief line (16, 16′) with a switchable release valve (17, 17) branches off from the supply line (6), via which gaseous fuel can be discharged from the supply line (6).