Marine Adaptation Kit for Internal Combustion Engine

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-performance internal combustion engines for land vehicles face challenges when marinized for marine use, particularly in cooling systems, as sea water corrosion is a concern, and existing solutions are expensive and limit design diversity, while also requiring compactness and reliability to prevent overheating and fires in confined boat engine compartments.

Innovation Solution

A marinization kit that includes a compact water/air exchanger and an external water/cooling fluid exchanger with integrated exhaust manifold and expansion tank, using bronze for corrosion resistance and optimizing heat transfer with countercurrent flow and minimized tubing to reduce leaks and pressure drops, while maintaining high cooling performance across temperature gradients.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If sea water is used directly for cooling the engine block, then cooling efficiency is improved, but corrosion damage occurs rapidly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling efficiencyVSAvoidcorrosion resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A water-to-water heat exchanger is introduced as an intermediary between the sea water cooling system and the engine block. Sea water circulates through external passages while fresh water circulates through internal passages adjacent to the engine block, allowing heat transfer without direct contact between sea water and engine components, thus preventing corrosion while maintaining cooling efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling system is segmented into two separate circulation loops: an external sea water loop and an internal fresh water loop. This segmentation allows each loop to be optimized independently - the external loop handles corrosive sea water while the internal loop protects the engine block, resolving the contradiction between cooling efficiency and corrosion resistance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Temperature

If multiple separate cooling components are used, then cooling performance is improved, but device complexity and leakage risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling performanceVSAvoidnumber of connections
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The water-to-water heat exchanger integrates multiple cooling functions into a single component that simultaneously cools the engine block and the exhaust manifold. This merging eliminates the need for separate cooling systems for each component, reducing the number of connections, hoses, and potential leakage points while maintaining comprehensive cooling performance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat exchanger is designed as a multi-functional component that serves multiple cooling purposes: cooling the engine block through one set of passages and cooling the exhaust manifold through another set of passages. This universal design reduces overall system complexity by replacing multiple specialized components with one versatile unit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Volume of moving object

If engine components are confined in limited space, then compactness is improved, but cooling capacity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveengine compartment sizeVSAvoidcooling capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The heat exchanger is designed with nested passages where external sea water passages surround internal fresh water passages. This nested configuration maximizes heat transfer surface area within a compact volume, allowing efficient cooling of both the engine block and exhaust manifold in a space-constrained environment without compromising cooling capacity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The heat exchanger utilizes three-dimensional space efficiently by creating adjacent internal and external passages that run parallel to each other. This dimensional arrangement allows maximum heat transfer surface area to be packed into minimal volume, resolving the contradiction between compactness and cooling capacity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Power

If high-performance engines are used, then power output is improved, but heat generation and fire risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower outputVSAvoidfire risk
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Fresh water is used as an intermediary cooling medium in direct contact with the engine block and exhaust manifold, isolating these high-temperature components from the combustible atmosphere in the engine compartment. This intermediary cooling system effectively manages the heat generated by high-performance engines, preventing overheating and reducing fire risk while maintaining high power output

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 kit ensures reliable and efficient cooling of engine components in marine environments, reducing the risk of overheating and fires, while minimizing size and weight, and reducing maintenance complexities by minimizing fluid connections and hoses, thus enhancing safety and performance.

Implementation Method 1

an inlet gas/freshwater or seawater exchanger depending on the place of navigation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

optimizing heat transfer with countercurrent flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCountercurrent flow:

Implementation Method 3

the engine coolant by fresh water or sea water called external water with a water/water exchanger

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 4

cool the exhaust manifold and the exhaust pipes in the part brought to high temperature

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 5

cooling of the engine coolant... with a water/water exchanger

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 6

using bronze for corrosion resistance

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCorrosion resistance:

Data Source

PatentEP2009259B1Marine adaptation kit for an internal combustion engine
Publication Date: 2012.04.04 NANNI INDS
  • EP2009259B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2009259B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP2009259B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

The kit has a water/air exchanger (26) to cool engine supply gas issued from a turbocharger (12), and a coolant/outside water exchanger (28) arranged at an exhaust manifold and an integrated expansion chamber. The exchanger (26) comprises a body for circulation of supply air issued from the turbo compressor. An engine block (16) of an internal combustion engine (10) is cooled by coolant in circulation by a circulation pump. An outside water inlet pipe of the exchanger (28) is connected to an outside water outlet pipe of the exchanger (26).