Electrically-Controlled Monolithic Oil Pump for Marine Engines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high-pressure oil pumps for marine low-speed engines face challenges with high-temperature high-viscosity heavy oil sealing, leading to poor reliability and increased complexity, with existing mechanical adjustment modes being inflexible and prone to cavitation.
Innovation Solution
An electrically-controlled monolithic high-pressure oil pump design featuring an electrically-controlled proportional valve with a cooling circulation oil passage, an oil inlet-outlet valve assembly, and a lubricating oil system that includes a plunger couple with annular grooves and a guide piston assembly, which enhances oil inlet throttling, prevents cavitation, and reduces leakage and corrosion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an electrically-controlled proportional valve is added to improve oil inlet throttling and pressure stability, then the accuracy and flexibility of oil supply adjustment is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The proportional valve is integrated within the pump body structure, with the valve core, valve body, and associated components nested within the existing pump architecture. The cooling circulation oil passage is embedded within the valve structure, allowing multiple functions to coexist in a compact arrangement that minimizes overall device complexity while achieving precise control.
Solution Approach 2:
The proportional valve assembly serves multiple functions: it provides precise oil inlet throttling control, incorporates a cooling circulation system for thermal management, and integrates with the existing high-pressure oil delivery mechanism. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall system architecture.
2Reliability
If a cooling circulation oil passage is provided in the proportional valve to prevent overheating, then the reliability under high-temperature conditions is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling circulation oil passage is merged with the proportional valve structure, combining thermal management functionality with the control mechanism. The passage is formed as an integrated feature of the valve body rather than as a separate cooling system, reducing the number of discrete components while ensuring reliable cooling of the proportional valve under high-temperature operating conditions.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the oil inlet valve assembly is added to quickly close the high-pressure oil chamber, then the pressure stability is improved and cavitation is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The oil inlet valve is positioned and pre-configured within the pump body to enable rapid closure of the high-pressure oil chamber when needed. The valve spring and valve seat are arranged to facilitate quick response, preventing cavitation by establishing pressure stability before it can be compromised during the transition from oil intake to compression.
4Device complexity
If the conventional non-cooled proportional valve structure is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability under high-temperature high-viscosity heavy oil conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling circulation oil passage changes the thermal parameters of the proportional valve by actively removing heat during operation. This parameter change (temperature control) maintains the reliability of the valve under high-temperature conditions caused by high-viscosity heavy oil operation, while the passage is designed to minimize structural complexity.
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 solution improves the accuracy, flexibility, and response speed of oil supply adjustment, reduces the risk of cavitation, and decreases the overall weight and height of the pump while maintaining reliable sealing and performance under high-pressure conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the electrically-controlled proportional valve is provided thereon with a cooling circulation oil passage, wherein cooling oil from a cooling oil passage of the pump body, after being injected into the cooling circulation oil passage, is returned to the cooling oil passage of the pump body
Implementation Method 2
the oil inlet valve is configured to form a conical seal with the oil inlet valve seat under compression of the oil inlet valve spring
Implementation Method 3
a plunger couple, a plunger spring, a lower spring seat assembly and a guide piston assembly, all of which are assembled in the center hole of the pump body
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an electrically-controlled monolithic high-pressure oil pump for a marine low-speed engine, to improve the oil inlet throttling and inlet oil pressure stability of the high-pressure oil pump. It comprises: a pump body, a pump cover, an oil inlet-outlet valve assembly, a plunger couple, a plunger spring, a lower spring seat assembly, a guide piston assembly and an electrically-controlled proportional valve, wherein the oil inlet-outlet valve assembly comprises: an oil inlet valve assembly and an oil outlet valve assembly; the oil inlet valve assembly comprises: an oil inlet valve seat, an oil inlet valve and an oil inlet valve spring; the oil outlet valve assembly comprises: an oil outlet valve seat, an oil outlet valve, an oil outlet valve spring and an oil outlet valve spring seat; a high-pressure oil outlet chamber is formed between the oil outlet valve seat and the oil inlet valve seat; a high-pressure oil chamber is formed in the plunger couple, and the high-pressure oil chamber communicates with the high-pressure oil outlet chamber through a first oil hole of the oil inlet valve on the oil inlet valve seat; the electrically-controlled proportional valve communicates with an oil inlet hole of the oil inlet valve seat through the first oil hole on the pump body, and the oil inlet hole of the oil inlet valve seat communicates with or is disconnected from the high-pressure oil chamber; the electrically-controlled proportional valve is provided thereon with a cooling circulation oil passage communicating with a cooling oil passage of the pump body, and the cooling circulation oil passage can cool armature and coil of the proportional valve.