Intake Manifold Wedge Deflects Charge-Air Cooler Condensate
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Solution Overview
Problem
High humidity ambient air and exhaust gas recirculation in turbocharged and supercharged engines can lead to condensation of water in charge-air coolers, causing engine misfires, torque loss, hydro-lock, and incomplete fuel burning due to water entering the engine combustion chambers.
Innovation Solution
An intake manifold with a water deflector is designed to deflect condensed water from charge-air coolers, ensuring uneven distribution among cylinders, thereby managing water accumulation and mitigating engine issues by directing it towards less critical cylinders, thus maintaining engine performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a charge-air cooler is used to cool compressed air, then air density and engine power are increased, but water condensation occurs in the cooler which causes engine misfires and torque loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes condensed water from the charge-air cooler system by providing a water outlet connected to a water reservoir, separating the water removal function from the air cooling function to prevent water from entering combustion chambers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary water outlet and water reservoir between the charge-air cooler and the combustion chambers to intercept and contain condensed water, preventing it from reaching the cylinders and causing misfires
2Reliability
If water condensation is removed from the charge-air cooler, then engine misfires are prevented, but water accumulation in the cooler can still cause hydro-lock and incomplete fuel burning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful condensed water into a beneficial resource by directing it to a water reservoir where it can be collected and potentially reused for cooling purposes, transforming a problem into a solution
Solution Approach 2:
The water reservoir acts as an intermediary containment system that captures water before it can cause hydro-lock, providing a safe storage location that prevents water from entering the combustion chambers while maintaining system reliability
3Stability of the object's composition
If water is evenly distributed among all cylinders, then combustion consistency is maintained, but any water entry causes misfires and torque loss in all cylinders
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing individual water outlet ports for each runner, allowing water to be removed locally at each cylinder's intake path, ensuring that water does not enter any combustion chamber while maintaining the ability to handle varying water condensation levels
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 water deflector in the intake manifold effectively distributes water, preventing engine misfires and torque loss by ensuring that only the outer cylinders receive excess water, thereby maintaining engine stability and performance even under high humidity conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The water deflector is arranged to deflect water, formed in the charge-air cooler, towards at least one of the runners and away from another of the runners
Data Source
AI summary
An engine includes a block defining cylinders, a charge-air cooler, and an intake manifold configured to receive air from the charge-air cooler and convey the air to the cylinders. The intake manifold includes an inlet connected in fluid communication with the charge-air cooler, a plurality of runners each associated with one of the cylinders, and a wedge disposed in an air path between the inlet and the runners with a leading edge of the wedge facing the inlet. The wedge is configured to deflect water, condensed in the charge-air cooler, to distribute the water among the runners.