Intake Manifold Slosh Baffles for Engine Water Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing intake manifold systems fail to effectively restrict the flow of liquid water into the cylinders of an internal combustion engine during vehicle maneuvering, leading to engine misfires, sensor failures, and potential engine damage due to the increased velocity of water during acceleration.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a water management cavity with notched walls in the intake manifold, which reduces the velocity of liquid water, is implemented to restrict its flow into the engine cylinders by incorporating a water containment feature with a reservoir and baffle system that slows down the water movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water containment features are introduced into the lower portion of the manifold, then water accumulation is reduced, but liquid water can still enter the cylinders during vehicle acceleration due to increased water velocity
Solution Approach 1:
The water containment reservoir is divided into multiple compartments by partition walls, creating a series of chambers that water must pass through. This segmentation increases the path length and creates multiple opportunities for velocity reduction through notched openings, effectively lowering water speed before it can reach the cylinders during acceleration
Solution Approach 2:
Notched openings are incorporated into the partition walls at strategic positions, creating a three-dimensional flow path that forces water to change direction and pass through restricted openings. This dimensional approach to flow control significantly reduces water velocity by converting linear flow into a multi-directional path with increased resistance
2Ease of manufacture
If the water containment reservoir is designed with simple geometry, then manufacturing is easier, but it cannot effectively restrict water flow into cylinders during maneuvering
Solution Approach 1:
The reservoir is divided into multiple compartments using partition walls with notched openings, creating a modular structure that is relatively simple to manufacture while achieving complex flow control functionality. Each compartment can be designed with standard geometries that are easy to mold or fabricate
Solution Approach 2:
The partition walls incorporate notched openings at specific locations rather than throughout the entire structure, providing localized flow restriction where needed. This allows the majority of the reservoir structure to maintain simple, easy-to-manufacture geometry while achieving effective water flow control at critical points
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 solution effectively minimizes the likelihood of liquid water entering the engine cylinders, preventing misfires and damage while maintaining engine performance by reducing water velocity and flow through adjustable design parameters.
Implementation Method 1
notched walls that reduce the velocity of contained liquid water as it travels in the containment feature during vehicle maneuvering
Implementation Method 2
The notched walls reduce the velocity of contained liquid water as it travels in the containment feature
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system to restrict the flow of accumulated liquid water from the intake manifold into the cylinders of an internal combustion engine by reducing the velocity of contained liquid water as it moves through the containment feature during vehicle maneuvering are disclosed. The body of the intake manifold includes a water containment feature having a water containment reservoir having an open upper portion and water-restricting interior walls. A water passageway is provided in each interior wall. The water passageway may be of any of several shapes, including a V-shape notch extending from the top of the wall. The interior wall is a central interior wall and the containment reservoir further includes an intermediate interior wall between the side walls that intersects the central interior wall. The water passageway is formed in at least one of the interior walls and may be formed in all of the walls.