Internal Combustion Engine Inlet-Valve Swirl for Lower-Load Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Internal combustion engines face inefficiencies at lower loads due to improper air-fuel mixture formation, leading to low volumetric efficiency and high pumping losses, while diesel engines produce undesirable emissions that need to be reduced, and gasoline engines contribute to CO2 emissions and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
An internal combustion engine design with a split inlet manifold into inner and outer channels, controlled valves, and an exhaust gas recirculation system to manage gas mixture composition and flow, ensuring a rich mixture near the spark plug, surrounded by stochiometric and lean mixtures, reducing the effective combustion chamber volume and enhancing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the throttle valve is partially closed at lower loads, then the air intake is reduced to match load demand, but the combustion chamber does not fill properly with air/fuel mixture resulting in low volumetric efficiency and high pumping losses
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet manifold is divided into inner and outer channels that separately supply gas mixtures to different regions of the combustion chamber. The inner channel supplies a rich mixture to the central region near the spark plug, while the outer channel supplies a leaner mixture to the outer region, enabling proper mixture formation even at partial throttle conditions
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the combustion chamber receive gas mixtures with different compositions tailored to their specific combustion needs. The central region receives a rich mixture for reliable ignition, while the outer region receives a leaner mixture for efficient combustion, optimizing overall combustion chamber filling and reducing pumping losses
2Use of energy by moving object
If diesel engines are used to achieve high energy efficiency, then fuel consumption is reduced, but exhaust gases contain undesirable byproducts such as NOx and particulates that need to be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The engine operates with controlled air-fuel mixture compositions in different combustion chamber regions, maintaining stoichiometric or slightly rich conditions that enable complete combustion and reduce particulate emissions while maintaining high energy efficiency similar to diesel engines
Solution Approach 2:
The exhaust gas recirculation system combines recirculated exhaust gases with fresh air to create a controlled gas mixture that reduces combustion temperatures and NOx formation while maintaining combustion efficiency and reducing harmful emissions
3Object-generated harmful factors
If gasoline engines are used to reduce NOx emissions, then cleaner exhaust is achieved, but CO2 emissions increase due to lower energy efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The engine controls the air-fuel mixture composition and combustion parameters to achieve complete combustion with stoichiometric or slightly rich mixtures, reducing CO2 emissions through improved efficiency while maintaining low NOx emissions through controlled combustion conditions and exhaust gas recirculation
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 engine achieves improved efficiency and reduced emissions by controlling gas mixture composition and flow, minimizing throttling losses, and operating with a smaller effective combustion chamber volume, especially at lower loads.
Implementation Method 1
said guiding wall being arranged such that it is curved in substantially the same direction as the cylindrical wall, such that said inlet valve is arranged for guiding the gas mixture in a direction substantially parallel to the end wall and having a largest component that is substantially tangential to the cylindrical wall
Implementation Method 2
a spark plug that is centrally arranged in the end wall
Implementation Method 3
a fuel injector for injecting fuel into the cylinder
Implementation Method 4
said piston being moveable to reciprocate between a top position relatively close to the end wall and a bottom position at a greater distance from the end wall
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Internal combustion engine, said engine comprising: - at least one cylinder defining a combustion chamber, said cylinder comprising a cylindrical wall and an end wall limiting the cylinder in a longitudinal direction at a first longitudinal position of said cylinder, said end wall comprising: - an inlet port for feeding a gas mixture to said cylinder and an inlet valve that is moveable for opening and closing the inlet port, - an outlet port for discharging exhaust gas from said cylinder; - preferably, a fuel injector for injecting fuel into the cylinder, and - a spark plug that is centrally arranged in the end wall; - a piston disposed in said cylinder, wherein a head of said piston limits the cylinder in a longitudinal direction at a second, adjustable longitudinal position of said cylinder, said piston being moveable to reciprocate between a top position relatively close to the end wall and a bottom position at a greater distance from the end wall; - an inlet manifold connected to the inlet port for feeding the gas mixture to the cylinder via the inlet port, preferably wherein an indirect fuel injector is arranged in the inlet manifold for supplying fuel to the gas mixture; - wherein said inlet valve comprises a substantially flat guiding surface facing towards the inlet port and a guiding wall protruding from the guiding surface in the direction of the inlet port, said guiding wall being substantially curved in a longitudinal direction thereof, and said guiding wall being arranged such that it is curved in substantially the same direction as the cylindrical wall, such that said inlet valve is arranged for guiding the gas mixture in a direction substantially parallel to the end wall and having a largest component that is substantially tangential to the cylindrical wall.