Intake Manifold Plenum and Runners for Engine Heat Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Turbocharged internal combustion engines face inefficiencies due to heat loss from long exhaust gas runs to the turbocharger, which are located near the charge air handling area, leading to reduced induction system efficiency and increased emissions.

Innovation Solution

The engine design features a centrally located plenum with intake runners extending across a valve actuator cover to outboard intake ports, allowing for efficient air mixing and separation of hot exhaust gases from the charge air handling area, incorporating a one-piece lower intake and valve actuator cover, and including swirl and helical ports for improved airflow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If exhaust ports are located outboard on cylinder heads, then exhaust gases can be collected and conducted through the turbocharger, but long runs of hot exhaust gases cause excessive heat release to the engine compartment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat release to engine compartmentVSAvoidexhaust gas routing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional exhaust port location from outboard to inboard positions on the cylinder heads. This reversal allows exhaust gases to be collected in the vee area near the crankshaft, creating a compact exhaust routing that eliminates long hot gas runs and reduces heat release to the engine compartment while maintaining turbocharger efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of operation

If exhaust ports are located outboard, then exhaust collection is possible, but the turbocharger must be positioned causing long hot gas runs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexhaust gas collection efficiencyVSAvoidexhaust gas temperature in routing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes the vertical dimension and the vee area space around the crankshaft to route exhaust gases. By collecting exhaust in the vee area and routing it downward and rearward rather than horizontally across the engine compartment, the system maintains efficient exhaust collection while significantly reducing the temperature of exhaust gases in the routing path

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Volume of moving object

If intake runners extend across the valve actuator cover, then compact engine design is achieved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine compactnessVSAvoidintake manifold fabrication

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the lower intake manifold and valve actuator cover into a single integrated component. This consolidation achieves compact engine design by eliminating the need for separate parts and assembly operations, while the unified structure actually simplifies manufacturing compared to assembling multiple separate components with precise alignment requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS8056525B2Induction system for internal combustion engine

Publication Date: 2011.11.15 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

An induction system for an internal combustion engine includes an upper intake for receiving air from a supply, such as a turbocharger, and a lower intake which combines a cylinder valve actuator cover, a plenum for receiving air from the upper intake, and a number of intake runners which extend across, an integrally with, the cylinder valve actuator cover to cylinder head intake ports which are configured at outboard sides of the engine cylinder head.