LSPI-Reducing Fuel Additives for Turbocharged Engine Knock

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Turbocharged or supercharged internal combustion engines experience low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI) events, which cause high pressure spikes and engine damage due to sporadic and uncontrolled combustion, making it difficult to identify causes and develop effective solutions.

Innovation Solution

A fuel composition comprising greater than 50 wt % hydrocarbon fuel in the gasoline or diesel range combined with a minor amount of LSPI-reducing additives such as amidines, beta-amino alkanols, or triazoles, which are added to the fuel or lubricating oil to minimize engine knocking and pre-ignition issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If turbocharging or supercharging is used to increase engine power, then engine power output is improved, but low-speed pre-ignition events occur more frequently causing engine damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine power outputVSAvoidengine reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the fuel by adding specific additives (amides, amines, or their salts) to the hydrocarbon fuel. These additive compounds modify the combustion characteristics and reduce pre-ignition events, allowing the engine to maintain high power output while improving reliability under boosted operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If engine load is increased to improve productivity, then engine output is improved, but pre-ignition events occur causing knock and engine damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine outputVSAvoidpre-ignition and knock

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces additive compounds (amides, amines, or their salts) as intermediary substances in the fuel mixture. These intermediaries act during combustion to suppress pre-ignition and knock events, enabling the engine to operate at high loads without suffering from harmful combustion anomalies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Duration of action of moving object

If compression stroke time is extended at low engine speeds, then combustion efficiency should improve, but LSPI events occur in a random and stochastic fashion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompression stroke timeVSAvoidcombustion stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the fuel composition by incorporating specific additive compounds that stabilize combustion behavior. These additives prevent random and stochastic LSPI events that occur during extended compression strokes at low engine speeds, thereby improving combustion reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20200017789A1Composition and method for preventing or reducing low speed pre-ignition in spark-ignited internal combustion engines

Publication Date: 2020.01.16 CHEVRON USA INC

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a fuel composition having (1) greater than 50 wt % of a hydrocarbon fuel boiling in the gasoline or diesel range and (2) a minor amount of a low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI)-reducing additive having one or more of an amidine, or a beta-amino alkanol having the structureR1, R2, R3, and R4 are each independently selected from hydrogen, aromatic ring, and a C1-C20 alkyl group and R5 is hydrogen or an alcohol having the structure —(CH)R6—OH. R6 is hydrogen, a C1-C10 alkyl group, or a C1-C10 alkenyl group, or a salt thereof.