LPG Bomb Cooling via Gasoline Heat Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
In bi-fuel vehicles, high external temperatures cause increased pressure in the LPG bombe, making it impossible to refill with LPG due to the pressure being higher than the LPG filling pressure, especially in hot seasons.
Innovation Solution
An LPG bombe cooling system that uses an auxiliary chamber with a heat exchange mechanism, where gasoline from the gasoline tank is supplied to cool the LPG bombe, reducing vapor pressure by leveraging the lower temperature of gasoline compared to LPG, and includes solenoid valves and a controller to manage the flow of gasoline and LPG for efficient cooling and pressure reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If LPG is stored in the LPG bombe at high external temperatures, then the LPG storage capacity is maintained, but the vapor pressure inside the LPG bombe increases beyond the LPG filling pressure, making refilling impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an auxiliary chamber as an intermediary component between the LPG bombe interior and the cooling system. This auxiliary chamber receives cooled gasoline from the gasoline tank, which then cools the LPG bombe interior through heat exchange, thereby reducing the vapor pressure of LPG without directly cooling the LPG itself. This mediator approach allows indirect temperature control to resolve the pressure issue while maintaining LPG storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the cooling medium (gasoline) by utilizing the temperature difference between gasoline in the gasoline tank and LPG in the LPG bombe. By controlling the temperature of the gasoline through the auxiliary chamber and heat exchange mechanism, the system indirectly changes the temperature and pressure parameters of the LPG, enabling refilling conditions to be met while maintaining storage capacity.
2Stress or pressure
If gasoline is supplied to cool the LPG bombe, then the vapor pressure of LPG is reduced, but additional components (auxiliary chamber, solenoid valves, controller) are required
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary chamber serves multiple functions: it acts as a control valve for gasoline flow, provides a heat exchange chamber for temperature regulation, and functions as a pressure equalization chamber. By combining these functions into a single component, the system reduces the number of separate parts needed, thereby managing device complexity while achieving vapor pressure reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the existing temperature difference between gasoline in the gasoline tank and LPG in the LPG bombe as a natural cooling source. The gasoline automatically cools the LPG bombe interior through the auxiliary chamber and heat exchange mechanism without requiring external power or additional cooling systems. This self-service approach reduces complexity by leveraging existing system resources.
3Productivity
If the auxiliary chamber uses materials with high heat transfer rate, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing cost and material requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the auxiliary chamber to aluminum or aluminum alloy, which has high thermal conductivity. This material selection optimizes the heat transfer rate between the gasoline and LPG, thereby improving cooling efficiency. The use of aluminum balances the need for high heat transfer rate with manufacturing feasibility and cost considerations.
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 system effectively cools the interior of the LPG bombe and lowers vapor pressure, allowing for easy refilling of LPG even in high-temperature conditions by utilizing the temperature difference between gasoline and LPG.
Implementation Method 1
an auxiliary chamber (40) for receiving some gasoline from the gasoline tank (10)
Implementation Method 2
the auxiliary chamber (40) may be provided, at an inlet thereof, with a jet nozzle for spraying gasoline into the heat exchange chamber
Data Source
AI summary
An LPG bombe cooling system of a bi-fuel vehicle using both gasoline and LPG is provided. The LPG bombe cooling system is configured to cool the interior of an LPG bombe and to reduce the vapor pressure of LPG by supplying some gasoline from a gasoline tank into the LPG bombe using the fact that the temperature of gasoline in the gasoline tank is lower than the temperature of LPG in the LPG bombe, whereby it is possible to easily refill the LPG bombe with LPG even in the case in which the external temperature is very high, e.g. in the hot season.