Manifold Gravity Drainage for Condensate Evacuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for reducing corrosive condensate formation in heat exchangers of motor vehicle engines do not effectively account for the topology of the charge air cooler's proximity to the engine and fail to provide adequate evacuation of condensates, leading to issues in supercharged and turbocharged engines.
Innovation Solution
A gas intake module with a gas distribution manifold that includes a casing with gravity-directed flow orifices for condensate evacuation, featuring a drainage section and multiple inlet openings for uncooled intake gases, allowing condensates to flow towards the orifices rather than the intake path, and incorporating channels and collars to facilitate this flow, while also accommodating recirculated exhaust gases and cooled intake gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the charge air cooler is positioned close to the engine, then the system layout is optimized and response time is improved, but condensate evacuation becomes difficult and corrosive condensate accumulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manifold incorporates a drainage part with specific local geometry designed to facilitate condensate flow. This includes creating a localized region with different flow characteristics that directs condensates toward evacuation paths, addressing the condensate problem specifically at the critical location near the engine without compromising the overall compact design.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of trying to prevent condensate formation through complex heating systems or remote positioning, the invention inverts the approach by designing the manifold to actively channel and evacuate condensates once formed. The drainage part creates flow patterns that redirect condensates away from the engine area toward designated evacuation paths, turning the harmful accumulation problem into a controlled evacuation process.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If recirculated exhaust gases are introduced into the intake gas flow, then polluting emissions are reduced, but corrosive condensate formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the condensate evacuation function from the main intake gas flow path by incorporating dedicated drainage parts and flow orifices. This separation allows recirculated exhaust gases to continue providing emission reduction benefits while the extracted condensate management system handles the harmful condensate formation independently through gravity-driven evacuation paths.
3Productivity
If a distribution manifold is used to connect the charge air cooler to the engine, then the cooler can be positioned closer to the engine, but condensate evacuation topology becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the condensate evacuation function directly into the distribution manifold structure itself. The drainage parts and flow orifices are integrated into the manifold casing, combining the gas distribution and condensate evacuation functions in a single component. This eliminates the need for separate evacuation systems and simplifies the overall topology while maintaining the compact cooler-to-engine connection.
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 configuration effectively evacuates condensates, reducing the need for collection and storage, and vaporizes them within the engine, thereby minimizing the problems associated with corrosive condensates and enhancing the operational efficiency of the heat exchanger system.
Implementation Method 1
Said casing is configured to allow a flow of condensates in the direction of said orifices, called flow orifices, under the action of gravity
Implementation Method 2
This provides a simple solution allowing the evacuation of condensates, including in configurations where these are present and/or formed close to the motor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The manifold (2) has a housing (30) mounted on an internal combustion engine for defining a passage volume for flow of an air-fuel mixture toward the engine. The housing comprises drain openings (34) formed in communication with the passage volume such that condensates are flown toward the openings under an action of gravity. The housing comprises an un-cooled air-fuel mixture inlet through which un-cooled air-fuel mixture is introduced in a lower portion of the passage volume to promote the flow of condensates to the openings.